Hyderabad: Chief minister Revanth Reddy has directed officials to prepare a digital health card for the public of Telangana.
During a meeting on Monday, January 29, CM Revanth Reddy suggested linking the digital health card to a unique number which will enable patients to access their medical records digitally instead of carrying them physically.
The chief minister suggested that the digital health card will be linked to the Arogyasri health scheme, which provides financial protection of Rs 2 lakh annually to families living Below Poverty Line (BPL) for treatments of serious ailments that require hospitalisation and surgery.
The chief minister also suggested removing the white ration card from the Arogyashri scheme as the applications have doubled abnormally in the state.
What is a digital health card?
The digital health card was first introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 77th Independence Day celebrations.
The digital medical card will be linked to a 14-digit unique identification number, similar to that of an Aadhaar card.
With the help of this card, a patient can enter their medical history such as lab tests, scans, urine tests, MRI scans, and heart scans through a click without carrying a bundle of medical files.
The data is stored with the health care retention and health care provider.
No one can access it, the state has alleged.
Link medical colleges with hospitals
In other news, chief minister Revanth Reddy asked officials to make a common policy to establish nursing, physiotherapy and paramedical colleges. “The medical colleges should be linked to hospitals so that there is no shortage of medical representatives,” he said.
He also stressed the completion of Bibinagar-AIMMS in Khammam district as it will reduce the outpatients in Osmania and NIMS hospitals.
Officials have been given strict instructions to develop first-class alternative medical facilities in all districts of Telangana and reduce the burden in Hyderabad.
