The National Accreditation Council for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers of India has released draft accreditation standards for hospital information systems and electronic health records systems.
The accreditation body is currently seeking comments from industry stakeholders on the draft Certification Standard for HIS and EMR Systems.
WHY IT MATTERS
NABH has meticulously developed HIS/EMR system certification standards, inspired by global digital health standards and incorporating best practices in software development and security.
In a statement, the hospital said it expects these standards to streamline hospital procurement processes and promote widespread adoption of quality HIS/EMR products nationwide.
NABH added that these standards will “empower hospitals to leverage digital technology effectively, thereby improving patient outcomes, optimizing operations and raising the standard of healthcare delivery overall”.
THE BIGGER TREND
NABH also stressed that HIS/EMR standards “play a pivotal role in fostering a more efficient, more connected and technologically advanced healthcare ecosystem in India”.
In 2021, The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission was launched to build India’s digital health ecosystem by creating and integrating health data records and registries. Through this mission, the National Health Authority has promoted interoperability by certifying digital health products.
The upcoming NABH standards for HIS/EMR systems will require developers and vendors to also go through the current NHA review and approval process before obtaining NHA certification. “This harmonizes the NHA and NABH initiatives, ensuring that only robust digital health solutions are certified and widely adopted across hospitals in India,” NABH explained.
The HIS/EMR standards are also aligned with the NABH Digital Health Standards for Hospitals launched in September this year. These standards also aim at widespread adoption of digital health processes and safe and secure use of digital health solutions in healthcare settings.
