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Healthcare takes centre stage, finally! 165

suffer from similar information asymmetry about the patient. As argued in Chapter 4 (“Data
of the people, by the people, for the people”) of the Economic Survey 2018-19, data from The
National Digital health mission can be utilised even within the framework of data privacy. By
utilising such data with the aid of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, the
predictive aspects can be used to mitigate information asymmetry with respect to the patients.
Therefore, information utilities a la the credit bureaus should be evaluated and considered.

5.31 Finally, given the information asymmetries that make unregulated private enterprise sub-
optimal in healthcare, a sectoral regulator that undertakes regulation and supervision of the
healthcare sector must be seriously considered. This is especially pertinent as regulation has
grown in importance as a key lever for governments to affect the quantity, quality, safety and
distribution of services in health systems (Clarke 2016). Please see Table 1 below for regulation
in other countries (Schweppenstedde et al, 2014).

Table 1: International experience in Regulating Healthcare

Country Source of standards Content of standards experience

Australia National Safety and The Standards provide a Regulatory activity to improve
Quality Health Service set of measures that can be healthcare safety and quality
(NSQHS) Standards applied across services and has increased considerably
developed by the settings nd used as quality during the last decade. The
Australian Commission assurance mechanism for national and state governments
on Safety and Quality providers to test whether have passed legislation and have
in Health Care minimum standards are met established government and
(ACSQHC) are part of or as quality improvement quasi-government bodies. Some
the Australian Health mechanism for goal essential and mandatory quality
Services Safety and development. Other national standards have been introduced,
Quality Accreditation standards include quality despite the strong preference
Scheme endorsed by of care principles as part of in the health and social care
the Australian health nursing home accreditation, sectors towards voluntary
ministers in 2010. mental health standards, and guidelines and developmental
standards for child day care improvements. Mechanisms for
and also out-of-home care. enforcing such standards are not
The ACSQHC also produced well developed and tend to rely
an Australian Safety and on internal rather than external
Quality Framework for mechanism. The regulatory
Health Care in 2010 that regime in Australia relies largely
sets out three core principles on networked governance
(consumer-centered care, which is being built via three
driven by information, strategies. First, the division of
and organized for safety), responsibilities in Australia’s
plus 21 areas of action for federal system of government.
improvement. Second, networked governance
requires extensive consultation
among the many public and