The Indian healthcare system took a significant step towards digitization with the launch of the National Medical Register (NMR) Portal. Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda, inaugurated this portal. Which is a key initiative under the National Medical Commission (NMC). This platform aims to register all eligible MBBS doctors in India, creating a comprehensive and dynamic database.
A Unified Digital Platform
The NMR is mandate under Section 31 of the NMC Act, 2019, which requires the Ethics & Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the NMC to maintain a National Register. This register will be in electronic form, containing the names, addresses, and all recognized qualifications of licensed medical practitioners. What makes this register unique is its linkage to the Aadhaar ID of the doctors, ensuring the authenticity of each registered individual.
A Vision for Digital Advancement
Speaking at the event, Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda commended the efforts of the NMC and the National Health Authority (NHA) in creating the National Medical Register. He described the NMR as a comprehensive and dynamic database for all allopathic (MBBS) registered doctors in India.
Nadda emphasized the government’s commitment to making India digitally advanced. He stated, “The Prime Minister’s vision is to make India digitally advanced, and this can only be achieved if the health ecosystem is also digitally robust. The National Medical Register is a much-awaited step in this direction, strengthening the digital healthcare ecosystem and ensuring quality healthcare for the people of India.”
Nadda also mention that the NMR would be continuously upgrade and improved. He highlighted that enhancements to the registration process on the portal would be ongoing to ensure it remains user-friendly and efficient.
The Role of State Medical Councils
The State Medical Councils (SMCs) are vital stakeholders in developing and maintaining the National Medical Register. Nadda highlights their importance, saying, “The State Medical Councils are key stakeholders in developing and maintaining the National Medical Register and facilitating the registration process.” He urge the SMCs to actively participate and expedite the registration process. Their efforts in authenticating the data will be crucial to the success of the NMR.
In addition to the NMR, Nadda mention that the government is planning to launch a similar register for paramedics and other healthcare professionals. This initiative aims to create a more comprehensive digital health ecosystem in the country.
An Important Occasion of National Medical Register
Union Minister of State (MoS) Anupriya Patel also spoke at the event, terming the launch of the NMR a “momentous occasion.” She stressed the importance of having authentic data on doctors across the country. Patel said, “The need for the National Medical Register has been felt for a long time. The NMR is important, as authentic data on doctors across the country is crucial.”
She pointed out that the existing data on doctors is scatter, requiring revision and updating. The NMR portal will ensure this by providing a centralized platform for easy registration and data management. According to Patel, maintaining authentic data is vital as India strives to create a robust digital health ecosystem. The digital registry of doctors will be an essential pillar in achieving this goal.
Ensuring Transparency and Quality
Union MoS Prataprao Jadhav, who participated virtually. Highlighted the importance of the NMR in ensuring transparency and quality among medical professionals. He said, “The NMR portal will ensure dynamic, authentic, and consolidated data on doctors in the country. The speedy and easy registration process on the portal will facilitate timely updates of the data.”
Jadhav emphasized that the transparency provided by the NMR will help build public trust in the healthcare system. He stated, “This will lead to greater transparency and quality among medical professionals, ensuring public trust in the healthcare system by providing verified information in a transparent manner.” He reiterated the government’s commitment to providing quality healthcare to the people under the Prime Minister’s vision of “Reform, Perform, and Transform,” and the launch of the NMR is a significant step in that direction.
Comprehensive Data on Medical Professionals
Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra added valuable insights, noting the lack of comprehensive data on doctors in the country until now. He said, “Until now, there has been a lack of comprehensive data that could provide a detailed and holistic picture of aspects like the total number of doctors in the country, those who have left the country, those who have lost their licences to practice, or the numbers and details of doctors who have passed away.”
Chandra explained that the launch of the NMR would provide data on more than 13 lakh doctors. This information will be crucial for planning and policy-making in the healthcare sector. The NMR will also be part of the Healthcare Professional Registry under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, which will contain detailed information on all medical professionals.
How the National Medical Register Portal Works?
The NMR portal designed to be user-friendly and efficient. The entire registration process is straightforward and online. All medical colleges, institutions, Institutes of National Importance (INIs), and State Medical Councils (SMCs) are interconnect on the portal. This interconnectedness ensures that the registration process is seamless and that data is update in real-time.
Some data on the portal will be visible to the public, while other information will be accessible only to specific entities such as the Ethics & Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the NMC, SMCs, the National Board of Examinations (NBE), medical institutions, and registered medical practitioners. This ensures that sensitive information is protect and accessible only to authorized users.
Doctors can manually enter and submit additional details like registration and qualification credentials through the portal. Once submitted, the application is automatically forward to the respective State Medical Council for verification. The SMC then forwards the application to the relevant college or institute for further review.
Upon successful verification by the State Medical Council. the application is sent to the National Medical Commission. After the NMC’s verification, a unique NMR ID issued to the doctor. During this process, doctors have the option to join the Healthcare Provider Registry, linking them to the broader digital healthcare ecosystem.
Features of the National Medical Register Portal
The NMR portal offers a variety of features to ensure a smooth registration process. These include the ability to add additional qualifications, track applications, suspend licences, and issue NMR ID cards and digital doctor certificates. The portal also allows stakeholders, including SMCs and educational institutions, to log in and verify applications from a single platform.
The National Health Authority (NHA) will continue to support the development of the NMR, including future enhancements to the portal. These improvements will include direct integration with new software, continuing medical education, and credit points.
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Re-registration for MBBS Doctors
All MBBS doctors already registered on the Indian Medical Register (IMR) must register again on the NMR of the NMC. To begin the registration process, doctors need to have a digital copy of their MBBS degree certificate, the registration certificate from the State Medical Council/Medical Council of India where they first registered, and their Aadhaar number ready.