A digital version of a patient's
medical record, known as an Electronic Health
Record (EHR), contains various health-related
information such as medical history, test
results, diagnoses, and medications. EHRs have
become more prevalent as they offer a secure and
efficient way to store, manage, and share
patient information among healthcare providers.
One of the primary advantages of EHRs is that
they provide a centralized repository of patient
health information, making it easier for
authorized healthcare providers to access the
same updated information. This can reduce the
risk of medical errors and improve care
coordination. The EHR central repository stores
all patient health information, along with other
healthcare data, in a standardized format,
making it easier to search and analyze the data
to identify trends and patterns in patient
health.
While EHRs have the potential to
revolutionize healthcare, there are concerns
about the potential for data breaches and
unauthorized access to patient health
information. To mitigate these risks, EHR
central repositories are subject to strict
security protocols and regulations. Despite the
potential benefits of EHRs, it is essential to
consider the risks and benefits of implementing
such a system and ensure appropriate safeguards
are in place to protect patient privacy and
security.
The creation of a new platform
highlights the usefulness of agile analytics in
generating knowledge quickly, particularly
during a pandemic where timely answers are
critical. However, it is also essential to
approach these tools with caution and subject
them to scientific rigor. The new platform can
help collect critical data that can assist in
treating patients, but it is important to use it
carefully
Our research demonstrates that
healthcare systems can rapidly collaborate
across borders, languages, and different coding
systems. The World Health Organization defines
Patient Safety as a discipline that aims to
prevent and reduce risks, errors, and harm that
occur to patients during the provision of
healthcare. While the healthcare system has made
commendable progress, there are still challenges
that need to be addressed to provide patient
safety efficiently. Some of these challenges
include long working hours for healthcare
professionals resulting in burnout, lack of
training for spotting changes in patients'
health due to a lack of knowledge on precedents,
and extended paperwork and documentation for
shifting patients.
To address these challenges and
improve patient safety, there is a critical need
to create a national repository of patient data
hosted on a centralized system. This repository
would enable healthcare providers to streamline
processes, provide efficient treatment, and
address various patient safety concerns. The
national repository of patient data will allow
hospitals, healthcare units, and doctors to
access detailed treatment procedures.
For healthcare
professionals, the repository will
The repository will offer benefits
to healthcare professionals, patients, and the
government. Healthcare professionals will be
able to access patient data from across the
country to provide better healthcare and save
time by minimizing paperwork and documentation
when transferring patients between healthcare
providers. It will also help healthcare
professionals understand changes in a patient's
symptoms and prevent medical errors by having
access to their medical history. The repository
will be beneficial for patients as well, as it
will simplify the management of their complete
health records, make remote consultations more
effective, and reduce the need for repeated lab
tests. For the government, the data will provide
insights into disease patterns and trends at the
grassroots level, help in the creation of better
healthcare policies and programs, and facilitate
more efficient plans for medical emergencies.
For the government, this
data will help in:
This data will assist the government
in:
Gaining insight into disease
patterns and analyzing trends by
accessing data at the grassroots level
Streamlining the creation of
better healthcare policies and programs
Developing more effective
plans for medical emergencies.
Role of global standards in
developing a National Repository of Patient Data
A national centralized patient data
repository is a platform where electronic health
records (EHRs) can be stored and accessed later.
In order to develop such a platform, it is
necessary for all healthcare stakeholders to
document procedures, clinical trials, etc., in a
common language and map them with a unique code.
The use of global standards can facilitate this
process. Once the data is documented in a common
language, it needs to be shared from multiple
systems to a centralized repository. To enable
this, globally standardized methods are required
for disparate systems across hospital chains,
states, central bodies, etc., to communicate
with each other.
The patient data repository will be
useful for programs like the National Digital
Health Mission and Arogya Bharat, which aim to
bridge the gap among different stakeholders in
the healthcare ecosystem through digital
highways and provide free access to healthcare
for 40% of people in the country, respectively.
The centralized data will enable the government
to plan policies and programs strategically and
steer them in the right direction. Additionally,
this data repository can help manage and control
situations like COVID-19.
