The Digital Transformation of Healthcare in Kerala: Assessing the Adoption and Impact of the Unique Health Identifier (UHID)

Abstract

UHID stands for Unique Health Identification, or an identifier number, which is a cornerstone of digital health transformation in India. UHID consist of 14 digits, assigned to patients by hospitals or national health systems, designed to improve the interoperability of patient data, continuity of care, and health system efficiency.While its implementation metrics are tracked, a complete understanding of its implementation and utilisation processes within a complex public health system remains under explored.The study aims to analyse the functioning of UHID within Kerala’s healthcare sector and to evaluate its technical administration, and the integration of various human factors that shape its effectiveness. The study employs a qualitative research design and methodological triangulation to ensure depth and credibility.

Data for the study is synthesised from three complementary sources: 1) real-time operatonal data and policy documents from the official Kerala eHealth portal 2) aggregated administrative, performance and public health datasets from the Directorate of Health Service (DHS) portal and (3) scholarly analysis and contextual interpretation from the peer-reviewed article “An analysis of eHealth adoption and utilisation in Kerala’’ by Jaman et al.(2025).Thematic analysis is also used in the study to extract insights across technical, operational, and human dimensions. The scholarly lens highlights critical human factors, including variable clinician engagement and the influence of Kerala’s existing digital health culture on UHID integration.The findings offer transferable insights for other regions pursuing similar digital health identity initiatives.

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