Recently the Government has announced the setting up a National e-Health Authority (NeHA) for the promotion of e-Health standards by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
REASONS FOR SETTING UP OF NeHA
- The National Knowledge Commission (NKC) had recommended in 2008 about the formation of National Health Information Authority (NHIA) to support implementation on e-health.
- High Level Expert Group (HLEG) set up by planning commission in the background of 12th five year (2012-2017) had suggested Health Education Research (HER) & setting up a nationwide network to support the same.
- They had done so as part of proposing Universal Health Coverage.
- ‘Digital India’ Program had been announced on Aug-2014 & a set of on line health care services are scheduled to be offered.
ABOUT NeHA
- It will be the nodal authority that will be liable for progress of an integrated Health Information system in India.
- It will also be responsible for imposing the laws & regulations linking to the privacy & security of the patient’s health information & records.
- NeHA will be setup through an appropriate legislation.
- The Chairman will be a well-known person in the field of Medicine, Public Health or Judiciary.
FUNCTIONS OF NeHA
- To guide the implementation of e-health solutions at various levels & areas in a manner that meaningful aggregation of health & governance data & storage/ exchange of electronic health records happens at different levels in a cost-effective method.
- To enable integration of multiple health IT systems through health information exchanges.
- To supervise systematic development of state wide & nationwide electronic health record store/exchange system that safeguards security, confidentiality & privacy of patient data & continuity of care.
- To engage with shareholders through various means so that e-health plans are adopted & other policy, regulatory & legal provisions are implemented by both the public & private sector shareholders.
- To sponsor the setting up of state health records storehouses & health information exchanges.
- To address the problems related to privacy & confidentiality of patients’ Electronic Health Record (EHR) in the legislation.
BENEFITS OF THE SCHEME
- Better manage care for patients by providing precise, up-to-date & complete information about patients at the point of care.
- Access of patient records quickly for more coordinated, efficient care.
- Share electronic information securely with patients & other clinicians.
- Reduced cost through less paperwork, improved safety, reduced duplication of testing, improved health.
