In short
ABDM (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission) is India's national digital health programme run by the National Health Authority. For a private hospital it means registering the facility and doctors, creating or verifying patients' ABHA health IDs, and sharing health records with other providers only with the patient's consent, using ABDM-integrated software.
What is ABDM?
ABDM is the Government of India's programme to build a connected digital health system. It was launched in 2021 and is run by the National Health Authority (NHA). It does not store everyone's records in one place; instead it lets records stay with the providers who created them and move between providers when the patient consents.
The building blocks, in plain language
| Component | What it is |
|---|---|
| ABHA | Ayushman Bharat Health Account: a health ID for each patient, with an ABHA address |
| Health Facility Registry (HFR) | A national registry of hospitals, clinics and labs |
| Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) | A national registry of doctors and other professionals |
| Consent manager | Lets patients approve or refuse each request to share their records |
| Health information exchange | Moves records between providers once consent is given |
What it means for a private hospital
- Patients can link their visits and reports to their ABHA and carry them to other providers.
- With consent, you can receive a patient's earlier records instead of repeating tests unnecessarily.
- Your facility and doctors become discoverable in national registries.
- The Digital Health Incentives Scheme has offered incentives to eligible facilities for ABHA-linked digital records. Terms change, so check the NHA website for the current scheme.
Practical first steps
- 1
Register the facility
Add your hospital to the Health Facility Registry.
- 2
Register your doctors
Doctors register on the Healthcare Professionals Registry.
- 3
Use ABDM-integrated software
Your hospital software must be integrated with ABDM to create or verify ABHA and link records.
- 4
Train the front desk
ABHA creation and verification usually happens at registration. A few minutes of training avoids long queues.
- 5
Set your consent and data policy
Align consent, retention and access with the DPDP Act 2023 as well as ABDM requirements.
ABDM and the DPDP Act
ABDM is built on consent, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 sets the wider rules for handling personal data. A hospital needs both: consent-based sharing under ABDM, and notice, consent, security safeguards and grievance handling under the DPDP Act.
Requirements and schemes evolve. Treat this guide as an overview and confirm specifics on the official ABDM and NHA websites.
Frequently asked questions
Is ABDM mandatory for private hospitals?
Participation has largely been voluntary for private hospitals, though adoption is actively encouraged. Requirements can change, so check current NHA guidance for your situation.
What is the difference between ABHA number and ABHA address?
The ABHA number is a 14-digit health ID. The ABHA address is a memorable identifier, similar to an email ID, used to share and receive records.
Does my hospital software need to be ABDM integrated?
Yes, to create or verify ABHA and link or share records through ABDM, your software must be integrated. HelloHospital is ABDM integrated and ABHA ready.
Swati Mittal
Founder, HelloHospital. IIT and MICA alumna with more than ten years building healthcare technology.
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