India’s BODH Portal: How to Verify Your Hospital’s AI Safety Rating
Introduction: Your Health, Verified by Science
As a healthcare professional, I’ve seen technology transform lives—from robotic surgeries to instant lab results. But as we enter 2026, a new player has taken center stage in Indian hospitals: Artificial Intelligence (AI).
While AI can spot things the human eye might miss, it isn’t perfect. You may have heard the term “AI Hallucinations,” where a system “sees” something in a scan that isn’t actually there. To protect patients, the Government of India has launched a landmark tool this week: the BODH (Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI) portal. The BODH Portal
Managed by the Bureau of Digital Health (BODH), this portal is your new “safety check” before you step into the radiology suite. Here is how you can use it to ensure your diagnostic reports are backed by government-certified intelligence.
What is the BODH Portal?
Launched at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, BODH is a national benchmarking platform developed by IIT Kanpur and the National Health Authority (NHA). It acts as a digital “testing ground” for medical AI.
Before a hospital can claim their AI is “safe,” the software must be rigorously tested on the BODH platform against real-world Indian data. If the AI passes, it receives a safety rating. For you, the patient, BODH is a searchable database that tells you if your hospital’s AI tools are clinically validated or just “experimental.”
Why should you check for “Certified AI”?
When you get an MRI or a CT scan, the AI often does the first “read” to flag abnormalities for the doctor. However, uncertified AI can struggle with:
- Demographic Bias: AI trained only on Western data might misinterpret results for Indian body types.
- Accuracy Gaps: Some models have higher error rates in complex cases.
- Hallucinations: The AI might confidently report a lesion that doesn’t exist.
By choosing a facility with a High BODH Safety Rating, you are ensuring the AI has been “benchmarked” for accuracy specifically for the Indian population. The BODH Portal
How to verify your hospital’s rating (Step-by-Step)
Checking a rating is as simple as checking a flight status. Here is the process: The BODH Portal
- Download the BODH App: Available on the Google Play Store and iOS (integrated with your ABHA/Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission account).
- Search the Facility: Enter the name of the hospital or diagnostic center.
- Check the “AI Safety Shield”: Look for a green badge or a star rating (1–5) next to the “Radiology” or “Diagnostics” department.
- Review the Certification: The portal will show you if the AI is certified for specific tasks, like “Lung Nodule Detection” or “Cardiac Risk Assessment.”
“Certified AI” vs. Standard AI: What’s the difference?
Think of it like a driver’s license. Standard AI is a car that can drive; Certified AI is a driver who has passed the national exam and is proven safe on the roads. In 2026, the SAHI (Strategy for AI in Healthcare for India) framework requires hospitals to be transparent about which version of AI they use. A “Certified” label means the Bureau of Digital Health has verified that the AI’s “hallucination rate” is below a strict safety threshold. The BODH Portal
The “Daily Tool” Pro-Tip: The Pre-Scan Check For BODH Portal
In my practice, I tell patients: “Trust, but verify.” Before your next major scan: The BODH Portal
- Open the BODH app.
- Lookup your diagnostic center.
- Ask the technician: “Is the AI used for this report BODH-certified?”
Using a certified facility doesn’t just give you peace of mind—it provides your doctor with a more reliable foundation for your treatment plan. The BODH Portal
Why The BODH Portal Ratings Matter in 2026
| Feature | Uncertified AI | BODH-Certified AI |
|---|---|---|
| Data Source | Usually non-local/Western | Real-world Indian Datasets |
| Privacy | Potential data leaks | Privacy-preserving (Federated) |
| Reliability | Variable; higher “hallucination” risk | Government-vetted for accuracy |
| Transparency | “Black box” (unclear logic) | Transparent Benchmarking |
The Bottom Line
India is leading the “Global South” in making AI safe for the average citizen. The BODH portal isn’t just a government database; it’s a patient empowerment tool. By demanding Certified AI, you are pushing the entire healthcare system toward higher standards of safety and accuracy. The BODH Portal
Health Disclaimer:
The BODH portal rating is a measure of technical validation and does not replace the clinical judgment of a qualified medical professional. Always discuss your diagnostic reports with your doctor, regardless of the AI safety rating. AI is a tool to assist, not replace, human expertise. DrugsArea
Sources & References
- Press Information Bureau (PIB) – Launch of SAHI and BODH 2026,
- Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) – Digital Health Initiatives,
- National Health Authority – ABDM Updates, IIT Kanpur – Health AI Research
People Also Ask
1. What is the BODH Portal, and why does it matter for my health?
Think of the BODH Portal as a “safety crash test” for medical AI. Developed by IIT Kanpur and the National Health Authority (NHA), it’s a platform where AI models are tested against real-world Indian health data before they ever reach a patient. It ensures that the AI assisting your doctor is clinically reliable and hasn’t just been “trained on paper.”
2. How can I check my hospital’s AI safety rating on the portal?
You can visit the official BODH Portal (linked via the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission – ABDM website) and search for your healthcare provider. The portal provides a transparency dashboard where hospitals list the AI tools they use—such as AI-based X-ray scanners or diagnostic assistants—along with their official “Benchmarked” status.
3. Does a “High” BODH rating mean the AI is better than a human doctor?
No. In India, the law follows a “Human-in-the-Loop” system. A high BODH rating simply means the AI tool is highly accurate at assisting the doctor. The final medical decision always rests with your human physician; the AI is there to catch tiny details a human might miss, like early-stage tumors or subtle heart anomalies.
4. Is the BODH safety rating mandatory for all Indian hospitals?
Currently, it is a high-level recommendation under the SAHI framework. However, hospitals integrated with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) are increasingly required to use only BODH-validated AI tools. If a hospital carries the BODH validation mark, it’s a sign they are committed to international safety standards.
5. What specific “safety” factors does the portal measure?
BODH doesn’t just look at accuracy. It tests for:
- Algorithmic Bias: Ensuring the AI works equally well for all Indian ethnicities and age groups.
- Robustness: Making sure the AI doesn’t glitch when faced with “noisy” or low-quality data.
- Clinical Generalizability: Proving the tool works in a busy Delhi hospital just as well as a rural clinic in Kerala.
6. Can the BODH Portal see my private medical records during the rating process?
Absolutely not. The portal uses “privacy-preserving” technology (like federated learning). It allows AI models to be tested against data without the data ever leaving the hospital’s secure server. Your name, ID, and personal history remain anonymous and protected.
7. How often are these AI safety ratings updated?
AI models “learn” and change over time, so BODH isn’t a one-time checkup. The platform supports continuous monitoring. If an AI tool starts showing “performance drift” (becoming less accurate over time), the portal flags it, and the hospital must re-calibrate or stop using that specific version.
8. What should I do if my hospital uses AI that isn’t BODH-verified?
Don’t panic—many legacy systems are still undergoing the verification process. However, you have the right to ask your doctor: “Is this AI tool validated by the National Health Authority or BODH?” A transparent hospital will be happy to explain their internal safety protocols and the evidence behind the tech they use.
9. Does the portal cover AI used in pharmacies or just hospitals?
While the primary focus is on clinical diagnostics in hospitals (like radiology and pathology), the rollout is expanding to include AI tools used in drug discovery and pharmaceutical safety. If an AI is making a decision about your treatment plan, it likely falls under the BODH/SAHI umbrella.
10. Can I report a “glitch” or an error I experienced with medical AI?
Yes. As part of India’s new AI governance, there is a push for Grievance Redressal Mechanisms. If you believe an AI-driven diagnosis was dangerously incorrect, you can report it through the ABDM patient portal, which feeds back into the BODH system to help improve the tool for others.
