India’s Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is not just a healthcare program—it’s a bold attempt to build Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for health. Launched in 2021, ABDM aims to connect patients, providers, and institutions through secure, interoperable, and consent-based systems.
From an Information Systems (IS) perspective, ABDM is a fascinating real-world case of how technology, governance, and social factors come together to shape large-scale digital transformation. Let’s explore ABDM through multiple IS theories and its architectural design.
🔎 ABDM as a Socio-Technical System
The socio-technical systems perspective highlights the interplay between technology and people. ABDM exemplifies this balance:
- Technical side: Health IDs, APIs, registries, consent managers.
- Social side: Doctors, patients, workflows, norms, trust.
👉 Success depends not just on the software but on how healthcare professionals adopt it, how patients trust it, and how institutions integrate it into their culture.
💡 Tip for Policymakers: Pair technical rollout with capacity building and awareness programs to boost adoption.
🏛 Institutional Logics at Play
ABDM is shaped by multiple institutional forces:
- State logic → Sponsored and regulated by government.
- Market logic → Enabled by health-tech startups and private providers.
- Professional logic → Validated (or resisted) by doctors and nurses.
- Community logic → Oriented toward citizens and inclusivity.
⚖️ Tension Example: Doctors may support digital health records but resist changes that disrupt existing workflows.
👉 ABDM thrives when institutional synergies outweigh institutional tensions.
⚙️ Technology Affordances: What ABDM Enables
Technology affordances are the possibilities a system offers. ABDM enables:
- 📁 Health data portability across providers
- 🔐 Consent-based data sharing
- 🔄 Interoperable health transactions
But these affordances depend on:
- 📶 Infrastructure availability
- 👩💻 Digital literacy among patients and providers
- 🏥 Organizational readiness in hospitals
💡 Tip for Healthcare Facilities: Invest in digital training programs so staff can use ABDM features effectively.
📚 ABDM as a Strategic Digital Resource
From the resource-based view (RBV), ABDM creates valuable digital assets:
- ABHA numbers (unique IDs)
- Verified registries (facilities & professionals)
- Secure consent-based data
The federated architecture means data stays at its source, accessed only with patient consent. This design balances innovation with privacy—a strategic advantage for building trust.
🏗 ABDM Architecture: Core Building Blocks
📋 Key Components of ABDM
Component | Core Function | 2025 Status |
ABHA (Health Account) | Unique 14-digit health ID linking records | 74+ Crore IDs created |
Health Facility Registry (HFR) | Verified database of hospitals/clinics | 4.5 Lakh+ facilities onboarded |
Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) | Database of licensed providers | 6 Lakh+ professionals onboarded |
Health Information Exchange & Consent Manager (HIE-CM) | Secure consent-driven data sharing | Millions of transactions monthly |
Unified Health Interface (UHI) | API-based network for teleconsultations, booking, discovery | Thriving ecosystem in operation |
👉 Info : ABDM avoids centralization—data stays distributed but accessible—a model that strengthens both privacy and scalability.
🚀 Adoption Patterns and Challenges
Progress So Far
- 67+ crore ABHA numbers created
- 42+ crore health records linked
- 1.3 lakh+ facilities onboarded (including 17,000 private facilities)
⚠️ Key Challenges
- Low awareness → Only 8% in a Bengaluru study knew of ABDM.
- Privacy concerns → Patients worry about data misuse.
- Digital divide → Rural areas face internet and electricity shortages.
- Workflow resistance → Private hospitals find integration costly and disruptive.
📋 Checklist for Better Adoption
✅ Launch targeted awareness campaigns
✅ Strengthen data protection frameworks
✅ Improve digital infrastructure in rural areas
✅ Provide integration toolkits for private hospitals
✨ Conclusion: ABDM as a Global Case Study
Through IS lenses—socio-technical systems, institutional logics, technology affordances, RBV—ABDM emerges as a multi-dimensional innovation in digital health infrastructure. Its federated, consent-driven architecture is not only transforming Indian healthcare but also offering a blueprint for global digital health ecosystems.