Health Ministry Unveils Virtual Systems to Enhance Healthcare Quality & Ease of Business Operations

One of the key initiatives unveiled is the virtual National Quality Assurance Standards certification assessment for Ayushman Arogya Mandirs Sub-Centers.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched several virtual systems designed to streamline the certification process for healthcare facilities, monitor compliance with healthcare standards, and simplify the licensing process for food vendors.

These initiatives mark significant advancements in the quality assurance framework for public health and the ease of doing business.

One of the key initiatives unveiled is the virtual National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) certification assessment for Ayushman Arogya Mandirs Sub-Centers (AAM-SCs).

This new system allows for the virtual evaluation of over 140,000 sub-centers, drastically reducing the time and resources required for physical assessments.

Aradhana Patnaik, additional secretary and mission director of the National Health Mission (NHM) highlighted the efficiency of this virtual system.

“The new virtual assessments will significantly cut down on the time and costs associated with physical evaluations,” she said.

Approximately 10% of the virtually assessed sub-centers will still be randomly selected for physical inspections to maintain quality assurance.

New Dashboard for Healthcare Compliance

The Ministry also introduced a new dashboard to monitor the implementation of Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) guidelines across healthcare facilities nationwide.

These guidelines, first introduced in 2007 and last updated in 2022, set the quality benchmarks for public health services from primary to secondary levels.

Patnaik emphasized the role of the dashboard in encouraging self-assessment among healthcare facilities.

“All facilities will be urged to self-evaluate and identify gaps in their implementation of IPHS guidelines to ensure high standards of healthcare delivery,” she noted.

Instant Licensing for Food Vendors

The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) announced the launch of a new system for the instant issuance of licenses and registrations for food vendors. This “tatkal” system is part of the health ministry’s 100-day program to enhance the ease of business in India.

G Kamala Vardhana Rao, CEO of FSSAI, stated, “The instant issuance system will simplify the licensing and registration processes for food vendors, providing a more efficient and user-friendly experience.”

NQAS Guidelines for Public Health Labs

Additionally, the Ministry released new NQAS guidelines for Integrated Public Health Laboratories (IPHL) located in district hospitals. These guidelines aim to improve the quality and reliability of management and testing systems in public health laboratories.

“Standard guidelines will enhance the quality and competence of testing at IPHLs, thereby increasing the trust of clinicians, patients, and the public in lab results,” said Patnaik.

These initiatives reflect the Ministry’s commitment to improving healthcare quality and facilitating business operations, benefiting both the public health sector and the food industry in India.