Centre to Launch Aarogya Setu 2.0 and New Digital Tools for Inclusive Healthcare

New Delhi (IANS): Union Health Minister JP Nadda will launch a suite of major digital health initiatives next week, including “Aarogya Setu 2.0″—a revamped, comprehensive Personal Health Record (PHR) application for citizens, officials announced Saturday.

The launch event on June 29 in the national capital will gather state representatives, senior government officials, healthcare leaders, technology partners, and industry stakeholders to mark India’s next step toward an interoperable healthcare ecosystem. The new rollouts span citizen-facing apps, provider-focused solutions, interoperability frameworks, registries, and data standards.

The Return of Aarogya Setu 2.0

Leveraging the massive trust and reach it built during the COVID-19 pandemic, the revamped Aarogya Setu 2.0 will act as a single gateway to multiple digital health services.

According to the Health Ministry, the application will allow users to:

• Manage Health Identity: Create and manage ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) IDs.
• Track Records: Access, share, and exchange digital health records securely with consent.
• Use AI Tools: View AI-powered health insights, smart health reports, and integrate wearable devices.
• Navigate Hospitals: Use “Scan & Register” for OPD booking, “Scan & Pay” for hospital bills, and find nearby doctors, ambulances, blood banks, or Jan Aushadhi Kendras.
• Access Benefits: Manage family health, set medication reminders, and seamlessly check PM-JAY wallet balance, empanelled hospitals, and Ayushman CAPF policies.

Boosting Ayushman Bharat

The government is also upgrading the Ayushman App to serve as a one-stop digital platform for beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).

Alongside the app, the ministry will introduce Ayushman Sarathi, a conversational WhatsApp chatbot. The chatbot will deliver key PM-JAY services directly to citizens’ phones, cutting through red tape and strengthening last-mile delivery.

Streamlining Claims and Medicines

To tackle administrative delays, the Centre will debut the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX). This digital public infrastructure will standardise claims information between hospitals and insurance companies across both public and private sectors, paving the way for faster, more efficient claims processing.

Additionally, the government will launch the Drug Registry to standardise medicine-related data across the entire healthcare system.

Finally, to ensure labs across India speak the same digital language, the ministry will introduce the Common LOINC Codes for India (CLCI). Developed by the NRCeS, this curated subset of international laboratory standards will tailor medical data formatting specifically to Indian healthcare needs.