Digital technology is expected to transform every facet of healthcare in the near future. However, many may be left behind in this transformation if policies do not address the issues of digital literacy, inclusivity, and last-mile connectivity. Access to digital technology may become as important as other social determinants of health in determining the health status of populations in the future.
Digital technology, through telemedicine, offers access to doctors around the clock. It enables people to place an order for drugs and diagnostics to be delivered at home. It enables people to access their health records in one place irrespective of where they received healthcare and share their health data through a consent mechanism. It can provide health information to guide people in navigating complex health systems, especially during epidemics and other health crises. It can enable accessing loans for health needs more easily and efficiently.
People who are not comfortable with technology can be assisted by a community worker or a frontline health worker. However, there should be reliable and fast connectivity even to remote places. People should be able to afford the necessary hardware like smartphones or tablets or personal computers and the charges involved in using the technology. The download speeds should be reasonable to have fast services. The power supply should be reliable.
Investment needed to ensure universal digital health access is small compared to the economic returns in terms of increased efficiency of health systems and improved productivity of people. Some countries and philanthropic funds are making digital public goods accessible to disadvantaged countries and communities towards inclusivity.
As global health actors and countries formulate their policies for national digital health systems, it is imperative to keep digital inclusivity in mind.
Krishna Reddy Nallamalla,
President, InOrder, the Health Systems Institute
South Asia Regional Director, ACCESS Health International
Photo Credits: Microsoft News