Digital health in India: a plain guide
India has built public digital infrastructure for health, much as it did for payments with UPI. Here is what exists, what it means for patients and hospitals, and the rules that govern it.
The building blocks
| Piece | What it is |
|---|---|
| ABDM | Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, run by the National Health Authority: the national programme for digital health |
| ABHA | A free 14-digit health ID for each person, used to link and share records with consent |
| HFR | Health Facility Registry: verified hospitals, clinics, labs and pharmacies |
| HPR | Healthcare Professionals Registry: verified doctors, nurses and other professionals |
| Consent manager | The mechanism that asks a patient before records move between providers |
| eSanjeevani | The government's national telemedicine service |
Rules that apply
- Telemedicine Practice Guidelines (2020): how registered doctors may consult remotely in India.
- Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023: duties for anyone handling personal data, including consent and security.
- Medical devices regulation (CDSCO): software that diagnoses or treats can be regulated as a medical device.
What it means for patients
- Create an ABHA number (free, through the ABDM app or website) and link records where your providers support it.
- Keep your own copy too: a personal health record app keeps everything in one place, including older paper reports.
- Read consent requests: what is shared, with whom, for how long.
What it means for hospitals
- Register your facility in the HFR and your professionals in the HPR.
- Use software that can work with ABHA and handle consent properly.
- Keep an audit trail of who saw what, and give staff only the access their job needs.
Where QueroCura fits
QueroCura's hospital management system records your ABDM facility ID and is built around patient consent; the QueroCura app lets people keep their ABHA number on their profile and their records in CuraVault. Every share is consented, time-limited and logged.
Frequently asked questions
What is digital health in India?
The use of digital systems for health, built on the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission's public infrastructure: ABHA health IDs, registries of facilities and professionals, and consented sharing of records.
Is ABHA mandatory?
No, creating an ABHA number is voluntary.
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Read about ABHALast updated 03 November 2026.