Government healthcare providers slightly ahead in access to patient histories, report says

Government-owned healthcare providers in India have a slight lead over private providers in access to patient histories, according to the second edition of the State of DPI in India 2026 report. The report found that 51.03% of government-owned providers had access to more patient histories, compared with 48.97% of privately owned providers. It was commissioned by Protean eGov Technologies and authored by the Centre for Digital Public Goods at IIM Bangalore.

Released on Wednesday, the report examined digital public infrastructure in finance, healthcare, agriculture, commerce and education. In healthcare, it said access to digital patient histories could reduce duplication of diagnostic tests and improve clinical decision-making. The report also said portable health information could improve continuity of care as patients move between providers and care settings.

Insurers could process claims more efficiently using standardised clinical information, it added. India’s healthcare infrastructure is developing through shared registries and consent-based systems under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, including the Health Professionals Registry and Health Facility Registry. The report said the sector was moving towards more connected health information infrastructure.

Across other sectors, the study described efforts involving digital transactions, farmer services, marketplaces, logistics, procurement, learner identity and portable educational credentials. The report said the next phase of digital public infrastructure would involve linking existing systems into interoperable networks and building institutions around them. It also examined artificial intelligence as a possible layer for decision-making and coordinated services.

However, it said wider AI use would need safeguards covering privacy, accountability, transparency and interoperability.