Making e-health more inclusive by providing widespread access to digital health services, remains a challenge for many governments worldwide.
E-health is transforming the efficiency of national healthcare systems and enhancing the quality of care amid an aging population and rising chronic disease rates. Its innovative technologies address significant medical challenges and are driving exponential growth in the global market. However, notable regional disparities persist in the utilization, accessibility, and even the availability of health applications.
What is e-Health?
The World Health Organization (WHO), a leading advocate for the global development of digital health, defines e-health as the effective use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the healthcare sector. Its broad range of applications includes electronic health record (EHR) systems, telemedicine, medical robotics, and mobile health (mHealth) applications. All of these technologies aim to enhance healthcare delivery, improve prevention efforts, and manage medical information more effectively.
An exponentially growing market serving tomorrow's medicine
In 2023, the global digital health market was valued at USD 234.5 billion, according to the Frost & Sullivan Global Healthcare Outlook 2020 report—an increase of nearly 160% from 2019. The market is projected to reach USD 559.52 billion by 2027, according to Fortune Business Insights. This growth was driven by advancements in big data analytics for health, the expansion of remote medical monitoring, and the development of connected health devices.
While half of the global population still lacks access to basic healthcare services, the implementation of national e-health strategies aims to achieve universal health coverage. This deployment seeks to provide higher-quality medical services at an affordable and sustainable cost. It facilitates the optimization, streamlining, and coordination of medical care pathways and contributes to breaking down barriers between health and social care sectors.
Moreover, e-health will be a key driver in advancing a revolutionary approach to future medicine, often referred to as the "4P Medicine," characterized by a comprehensive approach that is predictive, preventive, personalized, and participatory.
Comprehensive breakdown:
- It will utilize advanced models to anticipate disease risks and enable early intervention.
- Real-time monitoring will empower individuals to actively participate in maintaining their health.
- Based on genetic and biometric data, it will pave the way for tailored treatments.
- It will leverage digital platforms to enhance collaboration between healthcare professionals and patients.
Despite this comprehensive approach, the development and implementation of national e-health strategies, supported by the WHO Global eHealth Partnership Program, still faces significant regional disparities.
Developed countries pioneer digital healthcare
Japan, South Korea, and Israel, which have fully digitized their healthcare systems, are trailblazers in digital health. The United Kingdom invested nearly EUR 5 billion in 2016 to modernize its healthcare infrastructure. Both the United States and China possess significant advantages for the widespread adoption of e-health innovation. Both countries have large populations speaking the same language and a culture oriented towards digital usage.
In Europe, the UK boasts "the most comprehensive and fertile e-health ecosystem," outpacing Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and France. France employs a strong technological focus on improving its healthcare system, including simplifying processes and connecting patients with practitioners.2
Estonia's e-health strategy deployment has been a resounding success. Finland has significantly increased its health technology exports, while Denmark is excelling in telemedicine, and Sweden is working on an ambitious plan to become a digital health leader by 2025. However, the EU's linguistic and institutional diversity presents interoperability challenges in health data management, exacerbated by national disparities in healthcare systems.
To address these challenges, the European Commission launched an action plan in 2018 to provide citizens with access to their health data, assist in the creation of a shared data storage infrastructure, and aid citizens in the usage of digital tools throughout their healthcare journeys. The Commission also aims to connect the Shared Medical Records (DMP) of different member countries.
Major challenges facing universal health coverage in Africa
In Africa, the implementation of an e-health strategy is a critical lever in achieving one of the Sustainable Development Goals that many countries aspire to: ensuring universal health coverage for all. Several initiatives are progressing towards this goal.
Morocco's e-Health Strategy 2025 aims to develop telemedicine, introduce electronic medical records, and enhance connectivity among healthcare facilities. South Africa's National Digital Health Strategy focuses on improving healthcare delivery, managing electronic medical records, and promoting telemedicine. Nigeria has launched the National Health Development Strategic Plan 2018-2022, and Kenya has mapped out a roadmap for digital health implementation. Senegal stands out with its National Health Information Development Plan (PNDIS), which aims to strengthen the management of health information across the country through digital solutions.
Moreover, the high adoption rate of mobile phones on the continent facilitates access to mobile health solutions for populations inadequately covered by traditional healthcare systems. Of the 150 initiatives recorded by the Observatory of e-Health in Southern countries, 44% relate to telemedicine. For instance, the British startup, Babylon Health, established in Rwanda, plans to deploy its mobile medical consultation application across the 25 member countries of the Smart Africa Alliance.
Obstacles to equitable access to e-health
Despite the vast potential of digital technologies, many obstacles prevent the 1.3 billion residents of Africa's 54 countries from benefiting fully. Key issues include a lack of a cohesive government strategy, a shortage of healthcare professionals, limited connectivity infrastructure due to geographical barriers, socioeconomic disparities among patients, and low literacy rates across Sub-Saharan Africa.
This situation is particularly unfortunate given that the increased use of advanced digital technologies (AI, cloud computing, IoT) in e-health promises significant advancements. In epidemiology, for example, the Malaysian startup, AIME, has demonstrated that AI can predict Zika and Dengue virus outbreaks in Africa with 90% accuracy. Machine learning (ML) algorithms analyzing big data can identify trends and forecast disease risks, enabling early prevention. In diagnostics, AI allows for faster and more accurate detection of anomalies by interpreting X-ray and scan images.
Keys to success
Developing a national e-health strategy requires strong government commitment. It must be grounded in an ambitious digital transformation strategy that leverages ICT for progress. This effort demands enhanced cooperation among international organizations, governments, and local entities, and should facilitate public-private partnerships.
The interoperability of systems is crucial for the evolution of e-health as it enables seamless integration and information exchange between different platforms and medical devices. The development of e-health standards and norms forms a major pillar of this interoperability as it ensures consistency in the collection, storage, and sharing of health data; fosters innovation; and guarantees the security of medical information.
Investing in research and development (R&D) facilitates the emergence of innovative and personalized solutions tailored to the specific needs of a country's patients and healthcare professionals, thereby improving the quality of care.
Engaging patients through interactive applications strengthens their individual responsibility in managing their health, leading to more effective adherence to treatments.
Making e-health more inclusive by providing widespread access to digital health services, regardless of geographical location, socioeconomic status, or physical abilities, remains a challenge for many governments worldwide.
