The National Medical Commission was reformed and named the Medical Council of India on 25th September 2020 under the guidance of Niti Aayog with an aim to enhance access to quality and affordable medical education, promoting equitable and universal healthcare. In May 2023, The National Medical Commission (NMC) of India initiated a significant alteration in the medical licensing and registration process, intending to organize doctor registration, upgrade data management, and increase transparency within the Indian healthcare system. Though this development has its merits, the medical community has shown its concerns regarding specific issues. Let’s delve deeper into the matter while exploring this reformation’s key features, benefits, and goals.
Purpose of the New Registration System
The main objectives of the New Registration System are:
Establishment of the National Medical Register: The National Medical Register (NMR) is a government database specially designed for doctors. It is used as an official record of licensed doctors that the public can access. The National Medical Council is responsible for updating the data. All doctors in India must register themselves on the NMR.
Complete information about Doctors: The NMR contains various data such as qualification, specialization, and whether any disciplinary actions have been taken against them. In short, the database offers every single piece of information about any doctor in the country for consultation purposes.
Identification of Fraudulent Practitioners: The centralized registry ensures that the individuals practicing medicine without proper qualifications are identified. This will not only help the NMC to detect fraud but also increase patient safety.
Transparency: NMR is accessible to the public, which allows patients to verify the doctor’s identity and credentials.
Essential Elements of the National Medical Commission’s New Registration System
Synced with state registries: Under the NMC regulations, the data of state registries are synced in real-time with the NMR. Hence, NMR will be automatically updated, and won’t have to wait for the state councils to share their data.
Unique Identification (UID): The Ethics and Medical Registration Board(EMRB) portal will generate a Unique Identification number (UID) for every doctor. The UID will be suffixed with the state code where the doctors register themselves. This information will be shared with the concerned State Medical Register.
Online Registration: This registration is an online procedure maintained by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board. Doctors have 90 days to register or renew their licenses online, valid for up to five years. After that, a renewal will be required. This makes the renewal and registration hassle-free.
Benefits of the National Medical Council’s New Registration System
The establishment of the NMC’s new registration system assures several positive outcomes:
Clarity for the Patients: Public access to the NMR will ensure patients make correct assumptions about doctors. It will be easier to verify a doctor’s certifications, so patients will have confidence when choosing a doctor to consult.
Better Tracking of Doctors: The new registration system will provide a clear picture of the healthcare work field in India. Tracking doctors’ history, licenses, and proper medical certifications will be easier.
Lessens Risk of Malpractices: The new Registration System will make it easier for NMR to identify individuals who indulge in malpractices without proper qualification. Within the healthcare field, it will ensure the standing of qualified doctors.
Smooth administration: Because of the whole new system, the administrative work regarding the doctors will be quick and seamless. Concerns raised by the doctors
Though the new registration system offers many advantages, doctors have raised some concerns.
Processing Fee: Some doctors expressed trepidation that they would have to pay an extra cost in addition to the state-level registration fees they usually pay.
Data Security and Privacy: The general access to medical professionals’ professional data raises concerns about data privacy breaches.
Technical Glitches: There may be potential technical glitches while transferring data from the state registration system to the central registry system. Thus, the challenges in ensuring data unification cannot be overruled.
Conclusion
The National Medical Council’s new Registration System proceeds toward the modern era of India’s healthcare. Despite the benefits of transparency and enhanced data management, concerns about costs and potential data breaches due to technical glitches persist. Hopefully, in the near future, as the system evolves, the implementation of the new registration system will achieve its desired goals, which will be beneficial for both patients and doctors.
In today’s world, everything is dependent on the internet. The dependency on telemedicine increases the risks of malpractice and misdiagnosis due to minimal interaction and lack of physical examination of the patients. Also, it is easier to access sensitive personal data. After the launch of the new registration system, doctors & their patients’ personal data have become the soft targets of many hackers. Hence, we see the increased rates of doctors leaning towards professional Indemnity Insurance coverage.
CoverYou is an IRDAI-licensed broker that offers a wide range of medical insurance solutions to doctors with unique features.
- With 10,000+ medico lawyers, we boast a vast legal network and the experience to provide you with legal assistance in medical disputes.
- We have tie-ups with 75+ medical associations. We ensure you access to a broader range of healthcare providers.
- The panel of 500+ senior doctors is there to guide you through any situations that may arise in your career.
- Our 360° protection approach ensures the coverage of all your medical and legal needs.
- We partner with over 20 top insurers in the insurance industry. It allows you to compare and choose the best plan that fits your budget. We are here to negotiate on your behalf to get you customized plans and the best premium deals.
- We also offer instant policy issuance. It can get you covered quickly and easily. All you need is one click to get smooth assistance.
- In the case of your claim, our team of claim experts provides 24*7 support to ensure a seamless claims process. You don’t need to wait for office hours to raise a claim.
- We also prioritize out-of-court settlements for a faster resolution.
To avail yourself of our insurance, you only need to call us at our 1800-202-6900 number, or you can check out our official website. And we are here to assist you in every step without any consultation fee or membership.
