Most utilising Ayushman Bharat to seek care in private hospitals: Report, Pg14.

Key Highlights:

• Ayushman Bharat scheme shows over half of treatments are in private hospitals, accounting for nearly two-thirds of treatment costs.
• Since its 2018 inception, the scheme has facilitated over nine crore treatments, totaling Rs 1.29 lakh crore.
• Private hospitals constitute 45% of empanelled hospitals but handle 52% of hospitalizations under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
• Common treatments include haemodialysis (14%), fevers (4%), and gastroenteritis (3%).
• Chandigarh sees the highest in-migration for treatment (19%), while Uttar Pradesh accounts for the highest out-migration (24%).
• 50 crore health records have been linked under the digital health infrastructure scheme launched in 2021.
• 38% of health facilities and 26% of health personnel are registered on the digital platform.

Detailed Insights:

• The National Health Authority's report highlights a trend where private hospitals are preferred under Ayushman Bharat, despite a higher number of government hospitals being empanelled.
• Haemodialysis's high frequency is attributed to the need for repeated treatments, typically two to three times a week for patients with kidney failure.
• Portability allows patients to seek treatment across states, with Uttar Pradesh and Punjab showing significant patient movement both in and out of state.
• The ABHA number, a 14-digit identifier, aims to create a cloud-based system for storing health records digitally, with 6 out of 10 people having this number.
• The government is actively registering healthcare facilities and personnel to build a comprehensive digital health ecosystem, improving accessibility and efficiency.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Ayushman Bharat: A national health insurance scheme providing financial coverage for medical treatments.
• National Health Authority: The apex body responsible for implementing and managing the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
• Portability: The feature allowing beneficiaries to access healthcare services across different states.
• ABHA Number: A unique 14-digit identifier for creating and accessing digital health records.