Building Foundations for Ehealth: Progress of Member States : Report of the WHO Global Observatory for EHealthEvery day across the world people make improvements in health as a direct benefit of information and communication technologies (ICT). eHealth innovations like electronic health records computer-assisted prescription systems and clinical databases are transforming health today and hold even greater promise for the future. ICT support clinical care provide health information to the general public and scientific information to professionals. They provide a platform for publishing disseminating health alerts and supporting administrative functions. The World Health Organization's (WHO) strategy on eHealth focuses on strengthening health systems in countries; fostering public-private partnerships in ICT research and development for health; supporting capacity building for eHealth application in Member States; and the development and use of norms and standards. Success in these areas is predicated on a fifth strategic direction: investigating documenting and analysing the impact of eHealth and promoting better understanding by disseminating information. To that end WHO undertook a global survey on eHealth with which to garner baseline data on the current state of eHealth. Executed between mid-2005 and mid-2006 it represents the first attempt to examine eHealth from a regional as well as global perspective. Developed and implemented by the Global Observatory for eHealth (GOe) the survey focused on processes and outcomes in key eHealth action lines previously identified by the World Summit for the Information Society (WSIS) which are supported by WHO as an overall framework for action. Given this survey was the first of its kind the Observatory was greatly encouraged by the number of Member States that responded. Over 700 informants from 112 countries provided their expert knowledge (nearly 60% of the WHO Member States representing approximately 80% of the world's population). |
Common terms and phrases
access to health access to information actions taken Advice on eHealth Advice on human Advice on methods Advice on national communication technologies countries cultural adaptation cultural diversity Decision Support Systems Directories of health-care effectiveness rating Figure eHealth norms eHealth services eLearning Electronic Health Records Electronic multicultural health Enabling environment Equity health content health content:actions taken Health information Health Records eHR health sciences health sector health-care professionals Hospital Information Systems human resources development ICT capacity ICT in health ICT infrastructure development implemented information and communication Information Systems GPIS initiative introduced journals knowledge linguistic listed moderately effective Multilingual projects National drug registries National electronic registries National information policy national needs assessments norms and standards offer planned within2 policy and strategy policy or strategy professionals and institutions programmes promote Public funding RC RC region reported significant challenge skills Support Systems DSS Systems GIS taken or planned Telehealth Translation and cultural unknown