India needs a Comprehensive Digital Health Act

Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta

Dear Friends,

Greetings .

The Government of India vide order number NO.R-14012/16/2014-e-Gov, dated 6th January, 2015 has proposed the formation of India Health Information Network (IHIN).

India Health Information Network (IHIN )  Background

With India’s increasing focus on development and implementation of eHealth solutions, a need to establish a forum between different organizations, stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem, with an overall objective to facilitate knowledge/experience and information sharing, has been articulated a number of occasions at various platforms.

After notifying Electronic Health Records (EHR) Standards in 2013 (September) so as to encourage standardization, integration & electronic information exchange amongst the various healthcare providers and becoming a member of International Health Terminology Standards Development Organization (IHTSDO), Denmark for SNOWMED-CT, The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) in coordination with FICCI organized a workshop on SNOMED CT Introduction & Implementation in August 2014 with ITHSDO team and participants from different fields of healthcare system. In this workshop, Hon’ble Secretary (MohFW) shared Government vision to build online health records of citizens and it was also suggested that a forum/network (for information sharing) should be established amongst different players of healthcare system.

Keeping in view the need highlighted for a forum/network, it has been decided to establish an India Health Information Network (IHIN) of organizations/individual experts from different areas of health ecosystem for sharing of knowledge/experience on development and implementation of eHealth solutions, especially EHR.

The objectives envisaged for IHIN include –

Sharing of Learnings from eHealth experiences

Discussion on Policy level issues

Function as champion of eHealth Practices and Standards

Representation in other networks globally

I am chairing the working group that has been tasked to recommend the Governance & Structure of the proposed India Health Information network

I seek your inputs on the following :

1. Structure of IHIN : Should IHIN be registered as a society / trust ( not-for-profit ) or should be have a virtual presence only . Please give your inputs on the proposed structure of the entity
2. Who should be represented on the management of the body ( board / advisory board / Council ) – please give inputs on the number of members on the management board / council – stakeholders list
3. Proposed membership levels
4. Funding / membership fees or options to make it self sustainable
5. Meeting schedule – frequency of meetings for the proposed body given its brief ( mentioned above )
6. Any other suggestions with regards to IHIN structure and Governance

Please email your comments to office@rajendragupta.in with a cc to ea2rajendragupta@gmail.com

Please keep your comments specific to each point and be as brief as possible

The last date for the submission is 20th June , 2015

Looking forward to your valuable inputs

Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta
Chairman
Committee on Governance & Structure

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