Going to the doctor’s office can be an intimidating task in itself. On top of that, finding all the necessary documents, tests, diagnoses, previous prescriptions, etc., can be another hassle that does not make the job any easier. This whole process can get 10x tougher in case of hospitalisations.
Having all the necessary verified documents and papers that would be required during admission and insurance can, at times, get too much to handle. Recognising the need for a more effective and streamlined healthcare approach, the Government and the Health Ministry of India have come up with the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA).
Purpose of the ABHA card:
On 27th September 2021, the Government of India launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission (ABDM) to provide all the country’s citizens with a digital health ID that would facilitate easy access to medical health records. These can also be accessed by professionals who are dedicated to helping people with medical issues. Sharing the ABHA number with doctors all across India is now possible with the ABHA card.
The digitisation of healthcare has seen rapid advancements. It has immensely helped medical professionals save a lot of time, effort, and money to access documents more efficiently. Another example of the efficacy of digitisation could be the Cowin app vaccinator login, which made it possible for more than 1.3 billion people in India to receive their vaccines against COVID-19. The ABDM seeks to incorporate a standardised and unified process of healthcare that aims to reach even the remote places in the country for access and sharing of medical information across India.
Process of applying and the documents required
The benefits can support the need to apply for an ABHA card it seems to provide. Carrying medical reports and documents to the hospital can be tedious, especially if you are in a new place or city. Keeping a complete track of your medical history may also not be possible.
Having an ABHA ID will tackle this issue for you seamlessly. All you will have to do is share your ID with the doctors, and they can view your medical information instantly.
Applying for this health ID card is easy, and the process can happen online. There are two ways of going about this process. You can either use your Aadhar Card or your driving license for the same.
- Aadhar Card – For this step, you will have to link your Aadhar to your phone number. After, you need to enter the Aadhar number on the online portal, and you will receive an OTP via SMS. Once the OTP authorisation is complete, you can receive your ABHA ID.
- Driving License – This method will only give you an enrolment number from the official ABDM portal. Once that is obtained, you can take your driving license to a nearby ABDM facility and verify your identity. Post this, your ABHA health ID will be created.
If you are registering online, you may not have to submit any physical documents. However, you might need to enter the correct and relevant information to generate your ABHA ID. These would include your mobile number, Aadhar details, PAN number, and Driving License number (just for the enrolment number).
ABHA and Cowin
Since most people in India have completed their cowin app registration, they can also find an added benefit linked to the ABHA card. You can check your medical records even on Cowin with the help of your unique 14-digit code that you will receive as you make your ABHA card. Another method that you can use would be the help of the Arogya Setu app.
Over 21.4 crore users in India have logged on to this application. If you are one of them, you will also be able to create your unique 14-digit ABHA number via this app. The application will present all the relevant information and details to register and create an account.
Being a diverse country in terms of population, economic status, religion, etc, it was essential to create a facility and a program that would be equal and fair to all. Therefore, ABHA was generated to be free of cost so that people from all sectors of society could join and benefit from it.
Use your phones or laptops to access, change, and update the information as and when needed. Share this information only with your consent with the right professionals.
