India's National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers has released draft certification standards for hospital information systems and electronic medical record systems.

The accreditation body is currently seeking comments from industry stakeholders about the draft Certification Standards for HIS and EMR Systems.

WHY IT MATTERS

NABH has "meticulously" developed the HIS/EMR systems certification standards, which take inspiration from global digital health standards and integrate best practices in software development and security.

In a statement, it said that it expects the standards to streamline the hospital procurement process and promote the broad adoption of quality HIS/EMR products across the country. 

The standards will "empower hospitals to leverage digital technologies effectively, thereby improving patient outcomes, optimising operations, and elevating overall healthcare delivery standards," the NABH added. 

THE LARGER TREND

The NABH also underscored how the HIS/EMR standards are "pivotal in fostering a more efficient, interconnected, 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 been driving interoperability by certifying digital health products. 

The upcoming NABH standards for HIS/EMR systems will mandate developers and vendors to also undergo the NHA's existing evaluation and approval process before acquiring its certification. "This harmonises NHA and NABH initiatives, ensuring that only robust digital health solutions are certified and widely adopted across hospitals in India" the NABH explained. 

The HIS/EMR standards also align with the NABH's Digital Health Standards for Hospitals that were introduced in September year. The standards also seek the wide adoption of digital health processes and the safe and secure use of digital health solutions in healthcare settings.