India's 2-decade-old Central Government Health Scheme HMIS discharged
Monday, 28 April 2025, 12:07 IST
India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will re-launch the health management information system (HMIS) for the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) this week, with new software that will make it easier to verify CGHS beneficiary IDs. The CGHS provides comprehensive health care services to serving and retired central government employees.
The Ministry decommissioned the antiquated CGHS HMIS last week, which had been operational since 2005 and didn't meet current IT standards, cybersecurity norms, and user expectations. The HMIS is used to manage user registration, applications, redressal of grievances, and retrieval of information.
Why It Matters
The new "next-generation" HMIS, designed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, seeks to offer quicker, more transparent, and user-friendly access to CGHS services, thus improving service delivery and administrative efficiency. The enhanced system will generate a distinct PAN-based identifier for every CGHS beneficiary, which will help to reduce record duplication and simplify user verification.
It will also automate contribution payment verification by integrating with Bharat Kosh and enable verification and approval of CGHS card applications before payments are made. The new system will also computerize services like CGHS card transfer and alteration of dependent status and category, and it will send SMS and email alerts at each step of the CGHS application process.
In addition to the HMIS update, the CGHS mobile application for iOS and Android has been redesigned with a new user interface that provides access to digital cards, real-time application status, e-referrals, appointment scheduling, and better communication with the help desk.
The Larger Trend
Over the past few years, India has witnessed various digital transformation projects to build hospital and health information systems (HMIS) and implement them in the healthcare industry. For example, Delhi implemented a $20 million initiative in 2021 to develop a territory-wide HMIS for public healthcare hospitals and facilities. In 2023, the National Health Authority released plans for beta testing an HMIS for private clinics and small health facilities.
Although these initiatives for the digitalization of health information management have been recognized, Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra emphasized integrating such fragmented systems further to minimize the administrative burden and facilitate timely access to medical and health information.
The Ministry decommissioned the antiquated CGHS HMIS last week, which had been operational since 2005 and didn't meet current IT standards, cybersecurity norms, and user expectations. The HMIS is used to manage user registration, applications, redressal of grievances, and retrieval of information.
Why It Matters
The new "next-generation" HMIS, designed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, seeks to offer quicker, more transparent, and user-friendly access to CGHS services, thus improving service delivery and administrative efficiency. The enhanced system will generate a distinct PAN-based identifier for every CGHS beneficiary, which will help to reduce record duplication and simplify user verification.
It will also automate contribution payment verification by integrating with Bharat Kosh and enable verification and approval of CGHS card applications before payments are made. The new system will also computerize services like CGHS card transfer and alteration of dependent status and category, and it will send SMS and email alerts at each step of the CGHS application process.
In addition to the HMIS update, the CGHS mobile application for iOS and Android has been redesigned with a new user interface that provides access to digital cards, real-time application status, e-referrals, appointment scheduling, and better communication with the help desk.
The Larger Trend
Over the past few years, India has witnessed various digital transformation projects to build hospital and health information systems (HMIS) and implement them in the healthcare industry. For example, Delhi implemented a $20 million initiative in 2021 to develop a territory-wide HMIS for public healthcare hospitals and facilities. In 2023, the National Health Authority released plans for beta testing an HMIS for private clinics and small health facilities.
Although these initiatives for the digitalization of health information management have been recognized, Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra emphasized integrating such fragmented systems further to minimize the administrative burden and facilitate timely access to medical and health information.
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