Closing the Gap

Health Sector ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

World Health ◽

World Health Assembly Resolution ◽

Health Related ◽

The Cost

Brought to life by contemporary changes of our world, e-health offers enormous possibilities. In the World Health Organization’s World Health Assembly resolution on e-health, WHO has defined e-health as the cost-effective and secure use of information and communication technologies in support of health and health-related fields, including healthcare services, health surveillance, health literature, and health education (WHO, 2005). It is impossible to have a detailed view of its potential as e-health affects the entire health sector and is a viable tool to provide routine, as well as specialized, health services. It is able to improve both the access to, and the standard of, health care. The aim of the chapter is to focus on how e-health can help in closing one gap - optimizing patient care. The examples included and references provided are ready to be introduced in practice immediately. Special attention is dedicated to cost effectiveness of e-health applications.

Information and communication technologies in primary healthcare facilities in Egypt

Primary Health Care Research & Development ◽

10.1017/s1463423617000470 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 19 (01) ◽

pp. 88-95 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Taghreed M. Farahat ◽

Nagwa N. Hegazy ◽

Maha Mowafy

Keyword(s):

Primary Healthcare ◽

Health Sector ◽

World Health ◽

Continuous Training ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Community Based Research ◽

Significant Difference ◽

BackgroundThe health sector has always relied on technologies. According to World Health Organization, they form the backbone of the services to prevent, diagnose, and treat illness and disease. It is increasingly viewed as the most promising tool for improving the overall quality, safety and efficiency of the health delivery system.Aim of the studyThis was to assess the current situation of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in primary healthcare in the terms of describing and classifying the existing work, identify gaps and exploring the personal experiences and the challenges of ICTs application in the primary healthcare.Subjects and methodsA mixed research method in the form of sequential explanatory design was applied. In the quantitative phase a cross-sectional study was conducted among 172 family physicians using a predesigned questionnaire. Followed by qualitative data collection among 35 participants through focused group discussions.ResultsNearly half of the physicians have ICTs in their work and they were trained on it. None of them developed a community-based research using ICTs technology. Training on ICTs showed a statistically significant difference regarding the availability and the type of ICTs present in the workplace (P<0.05). Focused group discussion revealed that the majority of the participants believe that there is poor commitment of policymaker toward ICTs utilization in the primary care. Nearly 97% thinks that there is insufficient budget allocated for ICTs utilization in the workplace. Almost 88% of the participants demanded more incentives for ICTs users than non-user at the workplace.ConclusionsICTs resources are underutilized by health information professionals. Lack of funds, risk of instability of the electric supply and lack of incentives for ICTs users were the most common barriers to ICTs implementation thus a steady steps toward budget allocation and continuous training is needed.

ICT Framework to Support a Patient-Centric approach in Public Healthcare

The Journal of Community Informatics ◽

10.15353/joci.v16i0.3494 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

pp. 45-76

Author(s):

Richard Pankomera ◽

Darelle Van Greunen

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Sector ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Healthcare Sector ◽

Public Healthcare ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Poor Countries ◽

Patient Centric

Although Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the healthcare sector are extensively deployed globally, they are not used effectively in developing countries. Many resource poor countries face numerous challenges in implementing the ICT interventions. For instance, many health applications that have been deployed are not user-centric. As a result, such ICT interventions do not benefit many health consumers. The lack of an ICT framework to support patient-centric healthcare services in Malawi renders the e-health and mhealth interventions less sustainable and less cost effective. The aim of the study was therefore to develop an ICT Framework that could support patient-centric healthcare services in the public health sector in Malawi. The comprehensive literature review and semi-structured interviews highlighted many challenges underlying ICT development in Malawi. An ICT framework for patient-centric healthcare services is therefore proposed to ensure that eHealth and mobile health interventions are more sustainable and cost effective. The framework was validated by five experts selected from different areas of expertise including mhealth application developers, ICT policy makers and public health practitioners. Results show that the framework is relevant, useful and applicable within the setting of Malawi. The framework can also be implemented in various countries with similar settings.

Advances in Electronic Government, Digital Divide, and Regional Development - Emerging Issues and Prospects in African E-Government ◽

E-Government for Health Facilities in Africa

10.4018/978-1-4666-6296-4.ch002 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 21-27

Author(s):

Paul Macharia ◽

Davies Kimanga ◽

Onesimus Kamau

Keyword(s):

Clinical Care ◽

Health Financing ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Bring Your Own Device ◽

Workplace Flexibility ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) face healthcare worker shortages, skill mix imbalances, and maldistributions; there is concern in their quality and productivity. Africa's infrastructural developments also are way behind the rest of the world, and this gap is widening. Scalable, cost-effective, and long-term strategies in healthcare services are greatly needed. This chapter explores how Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) could play an important role in improving healthcare. Components of e-health, an emerging field in medicine, clinical care, and public health are discussed. The role of m-health is explored, identifying the benefits of integrating mobile phone technologies in healthcare. To meet the health financing deficiencies, the chapter also explores how Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) could drive healthcare professionals' productivity through increased workplace flexibility.

The Importance of Information and Communication Technologies in Establishing Healthcare Services with a Universal Coverage

E-Health and Telemedicine ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-8756-1.ch005 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 77-93 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Davuthan Günaydin ◽

Hakan Cavlak ◽

GamzeYıldız Şeren ◽

Korhan Arun

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Services ◽

Universal Coverage ◽

Quality Of Healthcare ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Health Practices ◽

One of the most important challenges faced by the healthcare system is the organization of healthcare services to cope with the increase in population and aging of citizens. Especially in developing countries, demographic movements of the population, regional disparities, political concerns, and increasing expectations of health services have led to a search for new ways to serve all of the population with healthcare services. With traditional methods, it is not possible to increase the supply of health services because of inadequate infrastructure and shortcomings in quantity and quality of healthcare staff. This new health system called e-health and uses all of the possibilities provided by information and communication technologies that aim to improve public health. In this chapter, the effects of e-health practices on the quality and accessibility of healthcare services are assessed and the extent of e-health practices in Turkey are evaluated.

The Importance of Information and Communication Technologies in Establishing Healthcare Services with a Universal Coverage

International Business ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-9814-7.ch033 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 691-707

Author(s):

Davuthan Günaydin ◽

Hakan Cavlak ◽

GamzeYıldız Şeren ◽

Korhan Arun

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Services ◽

Universal Coverage ◽

Quality Of Healthcare ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Health Practices ◽

Strategies of ICT Use for Women's Economic Empowerment

Encyclopedia of Gender and Information Technology ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-815-4.ch177 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 1121-1127

Author(s):

Sonia N. Jorge

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Information Dissemination ◽

Great Majority ◽

Economic Empowerment ◽

Development Tools ◽

Major Development ◽

The Cost

Information and communication technologies (ICT) provide a great development opportunity by contributing to information dissemination, providing an array of communication capabilities, and increasing access to technology and knowledge, among others. Access to and the cost of ICT continue to be a major development obstacle, particularly in the developing world. Despite the growth in mobile telephony, peri-urban2 and rural areas—home to a great majority of women and poor populations—continue to lack infrastructure and ICT services in general. For ICT to become meaningful development tools, ICT policy and programs must address the needs of women and the poor in general. This article discusses the main challenges and obstacles faced by women, suggests practical strategies to address those challenges and provides recommendations on how to proceed to improve the conditions leading to women’s economic empowerment.

Factors Affecting Interprofessional Collaboration when Communicating through the use of Information and Communication Technologies: A Literature Review

Journal of Research in Interprofessional Practice and Education ◽

10.22230/jripe.2017v6n2a234 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Monica Graves ◽

Dr. Shelley Doucet

Keyword(s):

Literature Review ◽

Program Implementation ◽

Administrative Support ◽

Interprofessional Collaboration ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Background Information ◽

Facilitators And Barriers

Abstract Background Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are increasingly being used internationally as a cost-effective and efficient way to provide care for patients in rural and remote settings, often referred to as telemedicine. There have been various studies that have examined the effectiveness of telemedicine implementation on patient outcomes, and the factors that enable successful telemedicine program implementation. The purpose of this narrative literature review was to explore a different side of the issue, with the objective to examine the factors that affect interprofessional collaboration when communicating through the use of ICTs in telemedicine settings. Methods and Findings A total of 56 papers were included in this review. Using a narrative review design, analysis of the papers revealed several factors that act as facilitators and barriers to interprofessional collaboration when communicating through the use of ICTs. Facilitators included training and planning; ICT system supports; establishing good rapport and communication patterns; patient-centredness; willingness to adapt to and accept the technology; and key individuals providing leadership and administrative support. Barriers included technical issues; coordination and organizational challenges; and problematic relationships. Conclusions From the facilitators and barriers, recommendations have been compiled for stakeholders involved in telemedicine initiatives to consider on how to support interprofessional collaboration in telemedicine.

Monitoring and Support for Elderly People Using LoRa Communication Technologies: IoT Concepts and Applications

Future Internet ◽

10.3390/fi12110206 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (11) ◽

pp. 206

Author(s):

José Paulo Lousado ◽

Sandra Antunes

Keyword(s):

Low Cost ◽

The Elderly ◽

Health Condition ◽

World Health ◽

Security Forces ◽

Health Organization

The pandemic declared by the World Health Organization due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) awakened us to a reality that most of us were previously unaware of—isolation, confinement and the massive use of information and communication technologies, as well as increased knowledge of the difficulties and limitations of their use. This article focuses on the rapid implementation of low-cost technologies, which allow us to answer a fundamental question: how can near real-time monitoring and follow-up of the elderly and their health conditions, as well as their homes, especially for those living in isolated and remote areas, be provided within their care and protect them from risky events? The system proposed here as a proof of concept uses low-cost devices for communication and data processing, supported by Long-Range (LoRa) technology and connection to The Things Network, incorporating various sensors, both personal and in the residence, allowing family members, neighbors and authorized entities, including security forces, to have access to the health condition of system users and the habitability of their homes, as well as their urgent needs, thus evidencing that it is possible, using low-cost systems, to implement sensor networks for monitoring the elderly using the LoRa gateway and other support infrastructures.

Telemedicine: a new frontier for effective healthcare services

Monaldi Archives for Chest Disease ◽

10.4081/monaldi.2004.686 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 61 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

S. Scalvini ◽

M. Vitacca ◽

L. Paletta ◽

A. Giordano ◽

B. Balbi

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Critical Factor ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Treatment And Prevention ◽

Wide Definition ◽

Technological Improvements

Telemedicine can be defined as the delivery of healthcare services, where distance is a critical factor, by all healthcare professionals using information and communication technologies for the exchange of valid information for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease and injuries, research and evaluation, and for the continuing education of healthcare providers, all in the interest of advancing the health of individuals and their communities. Such a wide definition includes many health care activities and a large number of applications have been tried, with variable degrees of interaction between all the players in the health care system. This review, starting from the need and opportunity that we are now facing to capitalize the great technological improvements in the field of information and communication technologies to improve also our health services, will illustrate the history, classification and main field of application of Telemedicine. Lastly, the available data on the application of Telemedicine for patients with respiratory diseases will be reviewed.

The Impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on Community Pharmacy

International Journal of Growth and Development ◽

10.25081/ijgd.2018.v2.56 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 01

Author(s):

SUNIL JAWLA ◽

Durg Vijay Rai

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

World Health ◽

Medication History ◽

Electronic Prescription ◽

The World ◽

The Impact

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are transforming health services throughout the world. Health information and technologies (HITs) involve application of information processing using computer for storage, retrieval, sharing and use of information and knowledge for communication by a pharmacist. Similarly electronic prescription (EP) services have made the dispensing and reimbursement processes more efficient. Maintenance of patient record become easy by using ICTs. Barcode identification of medicines can be used to reduce medicine administration errors and to improve the medication history of patients. Telecare using digital communications technology provides healthcare consultations and other health care services to rural, old & handicap patients easily and improves their access to healthcare by reducing their hospital attendance. In developing countries like India, it is quite a challenging task to provide access to information and communication technologies. As the geographical diversity is also a challenging for implementation of ICTs at everywhere. Information and technologies are giving a way to access the data all over the globe. ICTs have brought transformation in education in all over the world. Information and technologies are removing barriers from learning education. ICT applications are becoming indispensable tools for traditional and vocational education. In the field of pharmaceutical sciences, ICTs can further enhance the quality of education. As lots of modifications and newer drugs are coming in the market, it is quite a challenging task to a pharmacist to update knowledge to serve the society in an efficient way. ICT can be utilized in health care to improve quality of patient centric services.