Over 35 lakh individuals screened in Tamil Nadu using PHR

‘PHR will help the public receive information on health programme benefits upon consent’

“PHR encompasses services offered under MTM, UHC and PBS under one roof. We have digitally trained and empowered 11,109 women, belonging to self-help groups to take the programme ahead. We have women health volunteers (WHV) at the community level, mid-level health providers at the health sub-centre level and staff nurses at primary health centres,” an official said.

With data sourced from the State Family Database, phase I of PHR had screening and follow-up in one block, after which it had moved to phase II of State-wide piloting. WHVs, who take up door-to-door visits, do an assessment and take medical history, followed by screening of members.

“PHR will help the public receive information on health programme benefits upon consent. A person with diabetes can get the drug from a medical college, government hospital, primary health centre, mobile medical unit, health sub-centre or through the MTM programme at their doorstep. The compliance and control status will be updated to all staff responsible for follow-up of the individuals concerned,” he explained.

He said, “To establish ‘Zero Delay Prediction Proof-Based Service Delivery’ in the State, we need the individuals mapped to health facilities for catering the services. Like if a child is due for measles vaccination, the staff will be notified for vaccination, whenever she is visiting that street. This is made possible by digitalisation of Fixed Tour Programme approach and Family Register through PHR,” he said.

PHR would benefit the State’s health sector in more than one way. “The State has to plan for resource provisioning at health facilities, based on demand from the public. Providing fixed resources like drugs, lab tests, doctors and staff based on population will be re-defined based on actual users of the system. It will help formulate new strategies in planning and development to achieve last mile goals (Maternal Mortality Ratio, Infant Mortality Rate, Sustainable Development Goals),” he explained.

There is no manual reporting under PHR. Once entries are made, the reports are automatically generated for each programme using the Business Intelligence solution, officials said.

“We will have a population-based data driven decision making. How many are ill or well? What is the drug budget needed for next year? How many people screened and not screened for NCDs? The aim is to establish a denominator for implementing health programmes,” an official explained.