Creation Of UHID To Be Voluntary: Centre Notifies Unique Health Identifier Rules

The Union Ministry Of Health and Family Welfare has notified Unique Health Identifier Rules, 2021.

The notification states that the ministry intends to create Unique Health Identifier (UHID) for identification and authentication of beneficiaries in various health IT applications implemented by the Ministry.

According to National Digital Health Mission, every patient who wishes to have their health records available digitally must start by creating a Health ID which will be linked to a health data consent manager (such as NDHM) which will be used to seek the patient's consent and allow for seamless flow of health information from the Personal Health Records module. The patient will have the option to link all the health records to this ID.

UHID is for facilitating integration of health data across various applications and create longitudinal Electronic Health Record (EHR) for citizens besides allowing de-duplication in various health services provided by Ministry. The notification also clarifies that the creation of UHID will be voluntary.

Purpose of these rule is for using Aadhaar authentication on voluntary basis, for establishing Unique Health Identifier.  The Rules clarify that Aadhaar authentication service for creation of UHID is voluntary, and therefore no denial of health service provisioning in default shall be allowed.

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