NHA Extends Digital Health Incentives Scheme till 31st December 2023 

The National Health Authority (NHA) has extended the Digital Health Incentives Scheme (DHIS) within the framework of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to encourage the adoption of digital health practices among hospitals, laboratories, pharmacies, and health technology companies. 

The NHA has extended the Digital Health Incentives Scheme (DHIS) under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) until 31st December 2023. 

Through DHIS, financial incentives are offered to hospitals, diagnostic labs, and providers of digital health solutions, including Hospital/Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) and Laboratory Management Information Systems (LMIS), to promote transformative digitisation within the ABDM context. 

Launched on 1st January 2023 as part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, DHIS has played a pivotal role in fostering the adoption of digital health technologies and practices across the healthcare landscape in the country. Given its positive impact and the response from healthcare providers and health tech companies, the scheme's extension aims to facilitate more stakeholders in benefiting from its financial incentives. 

The CEO of NHA highlighted the significance of this incentive scheme's extension, stating, "The extension of this incentive scheme under ABDM reaffirms NHA's commitment to fostering a digitally inclusive healthcare ecosystem and underscores the Government of India's dedication to advancing accessible and efficient healthcare services across the nation." 

Under DHIS, eligible health facilities and digital solutions companies can earn financial incentives of up to INR 4 Cr based on the number of digital health records created and linked to patients' Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) numbers. 

To avail of this incentive, health facilities (hospitals, diagnostic labs) and Digital Solutions Companies need to be registered with ABDM's Health Facility Registry (HFR) and meet the eligibility criteria specified under the scheme. The benefits offered by DHIS to Digital Solution Companies are expected to contribute to cost reduction or be passed on to relevant healthcare facilities to cover their digitization costs. 

As of now, 1205 health facilities have been registered under this scheme, comprising 567 public and 638 private hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic labs. Out of the 25 registered digital solution companies, 22 are from the private sector. Up to June 2023, nearly 120 health facilities and 7 health tech companies have collectively received incentives totalling INR 4.84 Cr. 

The recipients of these incentives include government hospitals such as AIIMS Delhi, AIIMS Raipur, AIIMS Bhopal, Lok Bandhu Rajnarayan Combined Hospital Lucknow, and private hospitals including KGMU Lucknow and KIMS Hubbali Bengaluru. 

Prominent diagnostic labs, such as Indira Path Labs Delhi and Lucknow, Sahayog Pathology Laboratory Pune, and Leo Clinical Lab Kannur, along with leading digital solution companies like NIC (Nextgen HMIS), CDAC (eSushrut), DRiefcase, Ekacare (Orbi Health), Bajaj Finserv, and Paytm, have demonstrated exceptional performance under DHIS. 

NHA continues to actively monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the DHIS in driving ABDM adoption and is prepared to make necessary adjustments to its continuation, modification, budget allocation, or other aspects as required. 

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is an innovative digital technology effort to improve healthcare access and services. It focuses on better healthcare delivery, data sharing, and infrastructure enhancement. ABDM aims to create unique health IDs, ensure seamless health record access, boost telemedicine, and create a digital healthcare network.