Enabling Real-Time Offline Data Sharing for Healthcare Workers

In the quest to enhance healthcare delivery in India, Piramal Swasthya, through its Digital Bharat Collaborative (DBC), has been at the forefront of innovative solutions aimed at bridging public healthcare gaps. With a presence in 21 states and over 112 million beneficiaries served, the organization’s mission aligns with the Government of India’s vision for Universal Health Coverage.

The Challenge

Health and Wellness Centre (HWC) Mobile Application was developed to facilitate Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) services under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). However, many HWCs operate in areas with limited or no internet connectivity, presenting significant challenges in data transfer among healthcare workers. When beneficiaries visit these centres, the need for secure, real-time data sharing becomes critical for effective healthcare delivery.

The Solution: Offline Data Sharing

To address this pressing issue, Piramal Swasthya collaborated with Code for Gov Tech for the Dedicated Mentorship Program. After reviewing multiple proposals and conducting interviews, we selected a contributor to help develop a solution that enables data exchange between mobile devices without internet connectivity. Over three months, the contributor focused on establishing a robust system for offline data sharing among healthcare workers, ensuring that they could exchange vital information securely and efficiently, even in the absence of an internet connection. The solution enables data transfer between devices, such as registrars, nurses, doctors, and pharmacists, allowing healthcare professionals to work seamlessly regardless of their connectivity status.

Key Features and Implementation:

• Offline Data Exchange: Using Wi-Fi, our solution establishes peer-to-peer communication between mobile devices, allowing health workers to share patient data in real-time.

• Serialized Sync Process: The syncing of data to the central Accessible Medical Records via Integrated Technologies (AMRIT) server is carried out in an ordered sequence, ensuring that demographic records, visit details, prescriptions, lab results, and pharmacy dispensed records are updated accurately.

• Secure Data Transfer: All data exchanges are encrypted, maintaining patient confidentiality and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.

• Dual Sync Mechanism: The system supports both up sync (from mobile devices to the AMRIT server) and down sync (updates from the server back to mobile devices), with status flags indicating whether records are synced or pending.

Expected Outcomes

The implementation of this offline data sharing capability is set to improve healthcare delivery in remote areas significantly. Health workers will be able to share patient information in real-time, ensuring that beneficiaries receive timely and effective care, even in challenging connectivity environments. The solution not only enhances operational efficiency but also fosters better collaboration among healthcare teams.

About Contributor

Ankit is currently pursuing a B.Tech in Information Technology from Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology. He is passionate about contributing to work that benefits society and improves people’s lives. In his free time, Ankit enjoys singing, playing the guitar, and spending time with friends and family. His interest in open-source contributions, community engagement, and networking brought him to C4GT, where he found the ideal platform to collaborate with like-minded individuals.

Conclusion

Piramal Swasthya’s initiative to integrate real-time offline data sharing into the HWC Mobile Application exemplifies the power of collaboration with the open-source community. By working with Code for Gov Tech, we have made significant strides in ensuring that healthcare workers can provide uninterrupted service to communities in need, furthering our commitment to delivering quality healthcare to every corner of India.