UHI has the potential to revolutionize the way people access healthcare services. People will be able to choose from different categories such as HIP, HSP, and TSP depending on their requirements. UHI will also make it easier for people to compare different plans and make informed decisions about their health insurance coverage.
Acronyms and Abbreviations
HIP- Health Information Provider
HSP- Health Service Provider
TSP- Technology Service Provider
Description of UHI and the UHI Network
UHI is intended to be an open standard for a variety of digital health services. The open UHI Network will include applications from participating Health Service Providers (HSP) and End User Applications (EUAs). between patients using various digital health services.
Among the services offered by health service providers (HSPs) are scheduling OPD appointments at hospitals and clinics, scheduling Tele-Consultations, learning whether critical care beds are available, learning about lab and diagnostic services, scheduling home visits for lab sample collection, scheduling ambulances, and learning about nearby pharmacies.
- An end-user application is any application chosen by the service consumer (also known as the user) to access Health services (EUA). Mobile apps, interactive voice response systems, virtual assistants who speak both English and the local language, and other types of technology can all be used as EUAs.
- Individual physicians, hospitals, labs, pharmacies, and companies that combine health services are a few examples of health service providers. Utilizing Health Service Provider Applications (HSPA) that support UHI, they offer digital health services.
- UHI makes guarantees that any EUA in this ecosystem can supply a digital health service to any HSP. The Unified Payment Interface, which is used in the financial services industry, is the best example of a comparable interoperable approach (UPI). Today, customers have a variety of end-user applications to select from, such as the BHIM app, Pay TM, PhonePe, etc., to make payments from one bank account or wallet to another without any delays.
UHI Network Stakeholders
1. End-Users/ Patients
End users/patients would be able to access different digital health services from any platform of their choosing, boosting accessibility, quality, and efficiency. Patients must also have access to their medical and health records, such as medical reports, test findings, clinical records, etc. electronically, and then share them with specific healthcare practitioners.
2. Health Service Providers (HSPs)
UHI is projected to be adopted by healthcare professionals. HSPs include, but are not limited to:
- Doctors of any medical system
- Hospitals
- Labs
- Pharmacies
- Health service aggregators (platform players that collaborate with multiple health organizations to provide services to end consumers)
- Providers of home care (including home nursing care, teleconsultations, and laboratories that offer home sample collection services)
These HSPs will be able to deliver their services digitally thanks to UHI regulations. Their services will be accessible throughout the UHI Network. They may use any UHI-compliant HSP application of their choosing to regulate the price, availability, and delivery of services.
3. Technology Service Providers (TSPs)
Technology service providers, the third key player in the UHI ecosystem, are organizations that provide software interfaces compatible with UHI to healthcare professionals and patients. These apps use the UHI standards to provide a digital health service. TSPs must comply with all UHI standards, certifications, and rules. Only approved apps can be registered and use the UHI network's services.
Objectives of UHI and UHI Network
Fair discoverability
Ensure that every HSP who intends to offer a digital health service has the chance to do so and that their offerings are discovered impartially.
Verification of entities
Assure that only true medical professionals are permitted to take part in the UHI Network to maintain the trust of the users.
Interoperability of services
Patients and doctors can use software of their choice to seek or deliver treatment. This is crucial to establishing and maintaining the confidence of health service consumers. Health services, health care providers, and related health data should all be interoperable.
Open protocols
UHI will guarantee that an open, interoperable specification is adopted, allowing for a level playing field in the open API environment. As a result, they will be able to provide novel solutions for patients or healthcare professionals.
Technology Agnostic
For the creation of EUA and HSP apps that may join the UHI Network, application developers are free to use any technology.
Applications can be created in any format or technology that the developer chooses, including mobile apps, web applications, IVRS, voice interfaces, wearables, and more.
Service fulfillment
All parties involved in a transaction must have access to information about how a service that an HSP promised to a EUA is doing right now. This should contain pertinent transactional information and the capability to follow status changes until the service is rendered.
Financial settlements
UHI will provide flexibility in payment methods, timing, and other aspects of collection and settlement across parties in a safe and open way for HSPs and EAUs 21.
Post-fulfillment
The open protocols must meet post-service obligations including gathering customer feedback and making it possible to address any complaints.
THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL SERVICES WITH UHI
- Patients will be able to identify a doctor, schedule an appointment, make payments, get prescriptions, and keep their data digitally using any app of their choosing.
- Doctors will be able to control their availability for online consultations, determine their fees, view patient records (with consent), and issue e-prescriptions via any app of their choosing.
- Patients may quickly find doctors on the UHI Network using any app. Doctors will be able to provide their patients with a health professional ID that is widely recognized.
- A Health ID (or PHR Address) can be obtained by patients, who can then give it to medical professionals. The MRI, CT, and X-ray pictures of the patient may be shared by the healthcare providers using their PHR address. The records can be saved by the patient in their Health Lockers.
- By giving their authorization for the doctors to examine the information, patients may readily share their medical records with any doctor.
- Doctors will have access to a patient's longitudinal health records, which include all hospitals and physicians.
- Doctors may access full-resolution MRI, CT, and X-ray images from anywhere in the US to offer a thorough second opinion.
- The Health Facility Registry allows ambulance providers to list their services and make them searchable on UHI. When a patient calls for an ambulance, they may locate the one that can arrive the quickest and is nearest to them.
Author : Kunjal Jain
