ABDM (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission) Connect is a crucial component of EKA Connect that integrates your healthcare systems with India’s national digital health infrastructure. The ABDM Connector is designed as a powerful, plug-and-play API suite that simplifies the integration of various healthcare solutions into the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) ecosystem. Whether you’re looking to connect Electronic Health Records (EHR), hospital management systems, or other healthcare platforms, this connector facilitates seamless interoperability.

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Key Features

  • Full Support for All ABDM Functionalities: The connector offers a complete range of services required to connect to ABDM, including creating and linking Health IDs (ABHA), handling consent management, sharing health records, and much more.
  • Flexible Infrastructure Options: You can choose between using our shared cloud infrastructure—perfect for rapid deployment with minimal overhead—or setting up your own private cloud for greater control and security.
Whether you are a healthcare provider, technology partner, or hospital network, the ABDM Connector ensures a smooth, compliant, and efficient integration experience with the ABDM framework, empowering you to deliver better healthcare services at scale.

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How to Onboard in ABDM Connect

There are two ways to onboard into ABDM Connect through EKA Connect:

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Option 1: Use Your Own Client ID and Client Secret (ABDM Credentials)

  • If your healthcare institution or provider is already registered with the ABDM, you can use the Client ID and Client Secret provided by ABDM.
  • This allows you to authenticate and start using the ABDM services directly.

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Option 2: Onboard as a Hospital or Healthcare Information Provider (HIP)

  • If you are a hospital or healthcare provider looking to integrate with ABDM through EKA, you can onboard directly via the EKA Connect platform.
  • EKA will help you obtain the necessary credentials and guide you through the steps of becoming a Healthcare Information Provider (HIP) under the ABDM.

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Registration Process

Once you are onboarded to ABDM Connect, the next crucial step is registration, which involves creating an ABHA Address and an ABHA Number. This process helps link your healthcare information into one system, making it easier for you to manage and access your health data.

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What is an ABHA Address and ABHA Number?

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1. ABHA Number:

  1. What is it?
  • A 14-digit number (e.g., 1241-2312-3123) you get after completing KYC (Know Your Customer) verification.
  1. KYC Methods:
  • Online: Aadhaar
  • Offline: PAN Card, Driving License
  1. Why do you need it?
  • Required for PMJAY insurance (for low-income families).
  • Some hospitals need this for outpatient services (OPD).
  1. How does it work?
  • When you create an ABHA Number, they also generate an ABHA Address in the background (e.g., 124151351351@abdm), which is helpful for assisted users.
  • Unlike ABHA Addresses, you can only have one unique ABHA Number.

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2. ABHA Address:

  1. What is it?
  • A unique identifier for your digital health records.
  • Used for most health-related transactions like consents, document transfers, etc.
  1. Examples:
  • nisha@abdm
  • rani@abdm
  1. How many can you have?
  • You can create up to X ABHA Addresses for a single mobile number.
  1. Why would you want more than one?
  • Privacy: Keep certain health information, like mental health records, separate with a private ABHA Address.

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3. How to Get an ABHA Number

You can create your ABHA Number through two simple methods:
  1. Using Aadhaar
  2. Using Mobile Authentication

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Post-Registration Process

After registering on ABDM Connect, several key APIs come into play to manage your healthcare data. Here are the main areas you’ll interact with:

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1. Profile APIs (API Reference)

The Profile API offers a comprehensive set of endpoints designed to help users manage and access their profile information in a user-friendly way. This is essential for Personal Health Record (PHR) applications, as users need a dedicated section to view their demographic details and make updates when necessary. Key Features: Once registered, you can manage your profile through these APIs, which include:
  • Assets API: Handles your digital health assets.
  • Details API: Manages profile details and related operations.

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2. Care Contexts (API Reference)

A Care Context represents a logical grouping of health records. Each HMIS, LMIS, or PHR system should determine how to organize data into one or more care contexts for a user. Key Features:
  • View Linked Records: Lets you view all health records linked to your ABHA Number.
  • Link Records: Provides the ability to add new health records to your profile.

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3. Providers/Health Information Providers (HIP) (API Reference)

Healthcare Information Providers (HIPs) hold or manage the patient’s health records. Through this API, users can retrieve detailed information about healthcare providers, including their care contexts, and search for providers by name to find and link their care contexts/documents.
When a healthcare provider or organization (known as a Health Information User or HIU) wants to access your health records linked to your ABHA address, they first need to ask for your consent. Key Features:
  • Review and Customize: When you receive a consent request, you can review the details and even customize the request.
  • Granting Consent: Once satisfied with the request, you can approve it, allowing the HIU to access your health data.
  • Revoking Consent: If you change your mind, you can revoke the consent, ensuring the HIU deletes any copies of your health data.
Consent management gives you full control over who can see your health information, ensuring secure and private data sharing.

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5. Share Profile (API Reference)

Every Personal Health Record (PHR) app needs to allow users to easily share their ABHA address and profile information with healthcare facilities by scanning a QR code. Key Features:
  • Scan the QR Code: The app integrates with the phone camera to scan a QR code at a health facility.
  • QR Code Details: The code contains a link with important details like the facility’s ID and specific context to help process user information securely.

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6. User Session (API Reference)

When you create or register an ABHA, a user session is created with the ABHA Gateway. This session is temporary and expires after a certain period. Key Features:
  • Session Expiry: After expiry, any action requiring ABHA Gateway authentication will return an error.
  • Session Renewal: Authenticate using a mobile OTP to create a new session.
Steps:
  1. Generate Mobile OTP
  2. Verify Mobile OTP
This ensures session security while protecting your data.