FAQs – Digital Health Standards

1. Accreditation Programme:
   1. Any Healthcare provider with IPD/Day Care setup.
   2. Once the Digital Health Standards Accreditation is granted, the healthcare provider shall be required to apply for one of the following accreditation programs during the third year of the Digital Health Standards Accreditation validity period. This shall not apply to healthcare providers who are already accredited under any of the below-mentioned programs.:
      • Hospital Accreditation Programme
      • Small Health Care Organisation (SHCO) Accreditation Programme
      • Dental Healthcare Service Providers Accreditation Programme
      • Ayush Accreditation Programme
      • Eye Care Organisations Accreditation Programme
2. Certification Programme
   1. Any Healthcare provider with IPD/Day Care setup.

• Accreditation
  Healthcare providers are assessed across four maturity levels—Core, Commitment, Achievement, and Excellence. Based on their performance, they are awarded Silver, Gold, or Platinum certification. These levels help hospitals benchmark their digital capabilities and provide a roadmap for progressive improvement.
• Certification
  Healthcare providers are assessed across two maturity levels—Core and Commitment. Based on their performance, they are awarded Silver certification.

The standards cover eight core chapters that collectively address both clinical and non-clinical aspects:

• Access and Continuity of Care
• Care of Patients
• Medication Management
• Digital Infrastructure
• Digital Operations Management
• Finance and Procurement
• Human Resource Management
• Information Management Systems

Together, these ensure a comprehensive review of a hospital’s digital environment.

• Digital Maturity Framework:
  This accreditation demonstrates a hospital’s readiness and maturity in adopting healthcare IT systems, including HIS, EMR, cybersecurity protocols, patient data privacy, and clinical decision support systems.
• Enhancing Care through Technology:
  By integrating digital workflows across clinical and administrative functions, the programme enables faster, safer, and more informed decision-making, thereby improving overall patient outcomes.
• Alignment with National Priorities:
  Accredited hospitals are better positioned to participate in government-led initiatives like ABDM, NHCX, DPDP, and Digital  India, reinforcing their compliance with national digital health frameworks.
• Interoperability and Patient Empowerment:
  The programme supports the creation of a unified health registry and facilitates secure data exchange, empowering patients with control over their own health records and improving care continuity.
• Credibility in the Ecosystem:
  Digital accreditation acts as a trust marker for regulators, insurers, and patients, showcasing the institution’s commitment to innovation, reliability, and ethical use of health technology.
• Strategic IT Investment:
  The certification guides healthcare organisations in prioritising their IT spending, starting with core systems and scaling up to advanced digital maturity.

NABH certification gives vendors a competitive edge by validating the reliability, compliance, and interoperability of their systems. It assures potential clients—especially NABH-accredited hospitals—that the vendor’s software aligns with national and international quality standards. This builds trust, facilitates faster adoption, and strengthens positioning in tenders, government empanelment, and large-scale deployments.

Yes. NABH provides standards documents, implementation guidance, self-assessment tool, digital health toolkit, test case to help hospitals and solution providers prepare effectively. These are periodically updated and aligned with emerging technologies and policy shifts to ensure relevance.

Preparation begins with reviewing the relevant NABH Digital Health Standards and conducting a self-assessment to identify gaps. Hospitals and vendors are encouraged to document workflows, implement corrective actions, and establish internal review mechanisms. NABH also provides test cases for HIS/EMR vendors to validate their product functionalities.

Yes. NABH frequently conducts technical workshops and webinars for hospitals, HIS/EMR vendors, and software testing agencies. These sessions help clarify standards, assessment methodologies, and documentation requirements, enabling smoother implementation and certification.

All standards, test cases, and application links are available on https://nabh.co/digital-health-standard/.

Digital Health Accreditation and HIS/EMR Certification are valid for two years. Post this period, the hospital or vendor must undergo a reassessment to retain or upgrade their maturity level based on any improvements or enhancements made.