The Indian Medical Association (IMA) leadership met senior officials of the National Health Authority (NHA) on February 11 in New Delhi to deliberate on the implementation framework and practical aspects of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) across the country.
The meeting was chaired by Dr. Pankaj Arora, Director, NHA, and attended by IMA National President Dr. Anilkumar J Nayak, Hony Secretary General Dr. Sarbari Dutta, HFS Dr. Piyush Jain, and other office bearers.
Incentivisation for clinics
A key focus of the discussion was encouraging clinics to adopt a government-supported Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) platform. Financial incentives linked to validated digital transactions under ABDM were proposed to boost participation and accelerate the use of digital health records nationwide.
Low-cost HMIS platform for practitioners
Officials highlighted a low-cost HMIS solution tailored for practitioners, particularly small and independent clinics. The platform is expected to include AI-supported prescription assistance and basic diagnostic prompts, developed with expert medical and technical guidance.
Training and transition support
To ensure smooth adoption, regular training workshops have been proposed along with dedicated technical handholding for doctors during the transition phase. There was also openness to workflow customisation based on practitioner feedback.
Collaborative approach
ABDM leadership expressed willingness to receive structured inputs from IMA and assured collaborative decision-making with professional bodies. The emphasis, participants noted, would remain on practical, ground-level feasibility rather than only policy design.
The NHA also acknowledged and appreciated the role of technologically proactive states, medical councils, and associations in facilitating smoother digital adoption.