Recently, Professor Wang Hui and Dr Cheong Io Hong’s team from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Public Health collaborated with World Health Organization (WHO) experts to write a chapter titled "Digital Healthcare: Population-Level Applications" in the book Digitalization of Medicine in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, published by Springer as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals series. This chapter shares insights into China's development experience in digital health, particularly how the country has leveraged digital technology to alleviate pressure on public healthcare frontline services, the development of relevant regulations, and the commercial ecosystem generated by digital health, providing valuable case studies for global reference.
China is the only developing country that possesses a complete history of digital health development, apart from developed nations in Europe and North America. Many of these experiences hold significant relevance for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The advantages of digital health lie in its ability to enhance the accessibility and efficiency of healthcare services in resource-limited environments. By utilizing technologies such as mobile devices, telemedicine, and electronic health records, doctors can access patient information more swiftly and make diagnoses, thus improving treatment efficiency. Furthermore, digital health platforms can assist in delivering medical services in remote areas, thereby reducing the need for patients to travel to hospitals.
Digital health can also alleviate pressure on public health systems. By promoting online consultations and virtual healthcare, hospitals can lower patient density and reduce the risk of infectious disease transmission. It enables effective monitoring of public health data, allowing for the early identification of epidemic outbreaks and the implementation of appropriate measures. This rapid response capability is crucial for safeguarding public health.
The purpose of this book is to compile success stories and challenges faced by various countries in the field of digital health, providing reference points for establishing global health systems. As each country initiates digital health differently, these case studies will offer valuable experiences and insights to help low- and middle-income countries better address unique challenges in advancing digital health.
The WHO prioritizes global health policy resources for low- and middle-income countries primarily because these nations face severe public health challenges, including a high prevalence of infectious diseases, which are at the root of global health issues. To tackle these problems, the WHO encourages the establishment of more biobanks and cohort study facilities in these countries to collect and analyse more precise health data, thereby better understanding and addressing the health needs of the region. Alongside the establishment of biobanks and cohort studies, the development of digital health is complementary. Digital health technologies can improve the accessibility and efficiency of healthcare services, enabling patients in remote areas to receive timely medical assistance through electronic health records and telemedicine. Therefore, developing and implementing digital health in low- and middle-income countries means enhancing the accessibility and efficiency of healthcare services through technological means, ultimately contributing to health and well-being within the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and significantly aiding global sustainable development.
Wang and Cheong, alongside domestic experts Huang Jufang and Lei Simin, described the sources of demand for digital health in China and the challenges we have faced in terms of technology and regulation in the past. China initially began with digital hospital services, later establishing internet hospitals to facilitate remote consultations. These models further evolved into integrated resource platforms, ultimately forming an economic ecosystem driven by the development of digital health.
Despite facing significant public health demands, the digitalisation of healthcare in China has effectively alleviated operational pressures on hospitals and made it possible to provide medical services in resource-limited environments. In this process, we emphasised that this was not accomplished by a single administrative department; rather, it required cooperation across multiple sectors and the evolution of corresponding regulations to enable the widespread development of digital health. Additionally, we pointed out the issues of digital literacy that exist among more vulnerable populations.
This open-access book serves as a reference for global health professionals and policymakers in establishing a framework for digital health, a direction that has already been agreed upon in previous G20 summits. Our team is pleased to share experiences from China with other renowned international experts, particularly with the continued support of Dr. Zisis Kozlakidis from the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer. Through this book, we hope to promote collaboration and innovation in the field of digital health among countries, contributing to the advancement of global health initiatives.
