The extension of the Digital Health Incentive Scheme till this year-end demonstrates the commitment of the National Health Authority towards building a digitally inclusive healthcare ecosystem in India. The scheme offers incentives up to Rs 4 crore under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to facilitate hospitals and diagnostic laboratories to provide digital health solutions such as hospital/health management information systems (HMIS) and laboratory management information systems (LMIS). The adoption of digital health solutions in these systems has revolutionised the management of the health records of patients for quick access and retrieval. Till August, 1,205 health facilities have registered under this scheme, with 567 public and 638 private hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic labs. Altogether, 25 digital solution companies registered, including 22 from the private sector and close to 120 health facilities, and 7 health tech companies have received incentives totaling Rs. 4.84 crore, which indicates the transformation in the health sector. The flagship mission of ADBM is to patient to interact seamlessly with healthcare providers and retrieve digital reports of laboratories, prescriptions, and diagnoses. The health records are linked to an ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) number, which serves as the users’ personal health records and is available in their Personal Health Records (PHR) app. This enables healthcare service providers to view patients’ health histories and provide better care. Besides, standardisation in data can also help in data aggregation, which can in turn support evidence-based policymaking and research in the healthcare ecosystem, the government says. The generation of over 23 crore ABHA numbers, registration of 1.14 lakh health facilities in the Health Facility Registry, 33 thousand healthcare professionals under the Healthcare Professionals Registry, 6.6 lakh ABHA app downloads, and 3.4 lakh health records linked to ABHA of individuals are reflective of the momentum gained in just two years. Building awareness among patients to scan and upload old health records using the ABHA app will add a significant number of personal health records to the system. The NHA has also launched the 100 Microsites Project under ABDM, which will be a cluster of all small and medium-scale clinics, nursing homes, hospitals (preferably <10 bedded), laboratories, pharmacies, and other ABDM-enabled healthcare facilities for accelerating the digital health ecosystem within a specific geography. Mizoram has become the first state to have operationalized the first ABDM microsite in the country, in the capital city of Aizawl. A Ministry of Health release explains that the participating hospitals display their unique QR codes at their patient registration counters. The patients use their smartphones to scan the QR codes using the supported mobile app for the service, and after logging in to their ABHA account, they can share their profile with the hospital to complete their registration. This makes visiting the hospital and standing in the queue to get a physical token for an appointment with the doctor or clinical investigation redundant. While the system is robust, access to the internet is critical to helping every citizen avail of its benefits. Although 93% of villages have already been connected to a mobile broadband network, 61% of the country’s population is not using the internet, despite a significant reduction in data purchase costs. Unless internet use increases among rural populations, the downloads of the ABHA app will remain limited to only the number of internet users, even after the saturation of connecting healthcare facilities, healthcare professionals, laboratories, and other stakeholders on the ABDM digital platform. Bridging the digital divide, therefore, is crucial for ABDM or schemes and projects under it like DHIS and microsite building to achieve targets and desired objectives. Generating awareness among patients visiting hospitals and other healthcare facilities to use the internet to avail themselves of the benefits of the digital health ecosystem can motivate them to look at internet data purchases as something beneficial for cutting down travel costs and time and getting rid of the trouble of standing in long lines in hospitals. The adoption of digital technology has created the opportunity for insurance companies to join the ABDM ecosystem. Linking the ABHA number of patients having insurance coverage with the insurer enables hospital authorities to share the patient documents with the insurance companies. Simultaneously, it also helps the insurer get immediate access to patients' hospitalisation and treatment records, including prescriptions, laboratory reports, etc., for quick verification, which in turn facilitates cashless hospitalisation covered under health insurance, a seamless and hassle-free process. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) issuing a circular in June 2023 advising all insurance companies to start capturing the ABHA number of all persons seeking insurance cover and also to obtain their consent for sharing medical records with insurers. This is a laudable initiative. The participation of 29 insurance companies at a workshop organised by the NHA and IRDAI last month to help insurance companies complete their ABDM integration indicated forward movement. Transparency in data use is vital for boosting the confidence of key stakeholders—patients—in the adoption of the digital ecosystem.