NABH Digital Standards in HIS/EMR

Introduction to HIS/EMR Standards and Objective Elements
NABH has recently launched the NABH Standards for HIS/ EMR systems during National Patient Safety Conference held on 17th September 2024. The standards are now available for free download from NABH website (www.nabh.co) under the resource section.
With this, NABH acquires the unique distinction of having clinical standards for hospitals, digital health standards for hospitals, and standards for HIS/EMR products - fully aligned and consistent with each other. The standards are focused on standardizing the offerings of HIS and EMR products which serve as a digital backbone of today's healthcare ecosystem. The standards also include the interoperability and certification requirements of the National Health Authority (NHA)'s ABDM platform. These standards will help in building robust, transparent, efficient, scalable, and interoperable digital healthcare infrastructure in the country.
NABH is offering certification scheme as per the standards for HIS/EMR Systems.

HIS vendors must cover the following
• ABDM certificate (M1, M2, M3)
• WASA certificate
• ISO certification 27001 - Information Security Management System (ISMS)

Digital Health Standards for HIS/EMR Systems
NABH Standards for HIS/EMR Systems are a set of comprehensive guidelines and criteria established for Hospital Information Systems (HIS) and Electronic Medical Records (EMR). The goal is to ensure that these digital systems enhance the quality of patient care, improve operational efficiencies, and comply with regulatory requirements.
NABH Standards for HIS and EMR systems aim to ensure that HIS and EMR products meet high-quality benchmarks for clinical and administrative functionality, accuracy, security, and interoperability. They provide a comprehensive framework that covers essential aspects such as data governance, clinical documentation, administrative management, and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. By adhering to these standards, HIS/EMR companies can enable healthcare providers to efficiently capture, store, and access patient information, thereby enhancing the overall quality of care. For HIS and EMR companies, the NABH standards serve as a vital blueprint for continuous improvement. By aligning their products with NABH standards, HIS/EMR companies can not only meet the stringent requirements of healthcare providers but also contribute to improved clinical outcomes and operational efficiencies in the healthcare sector.

This First Edition of the Standards has been released with 171 Objective Elements (OEs), 42 Standards spread across 8 Chapters. Objective Elements (OEs) are categorized into CORE,COMMITMENT, ACHIEVEMENT, EXCELLENCE.

Access Assessment and Continuity of Care (AAC)
Care of Patients (COP)
Management of Medication (MOM)
Digital Infrastructure (DIS)
Digital Operations Management (DOM)
Finance and Procurement Management (FPM)
Human Resource Management (HRM)
Information Management System (IMS)

AYUSHMAN BHARAT DIGITAL MISSION – ABDM
Just as the government built the UPI interface for Digital Payments such that we can now send money to even the vegetable vendor or the autorickshaw driver, similarly the Government is now building an interface whereby we will all be able to share our health records with various stakeholders. For example, by creating a health ID, an individual can go to a diagnostic centre and get a report and link it to the ID. Then he or she can visit a doctor and show this report. The doctor can write an E-prescription which can then be digitally sent to a Pharmacy to buy medicines. The medical records can also be sent to another doctor for a second opinion. All this will be possible due to building of a Unified Health Interface under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission launch by the Government.
ABDM consists of several building blocks
• ABHA number - Just like an Aadhar number, ABHA is a unique health ID. Every citizen of India can choose to create one
• Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) – This is a repository of all healthcare professionals involved in delivery of healthcare services across both modern and traditional systems of medicine
• Health Facility Registry (HFR) – This is a repository of health facilities of the nation across different systems of medicine