The latest OECD annual health report, Health at a Glance 2023 , released this week, spotlights digital health as an “emerging health determinant”. The report also includes a full chapter on digital health for the first time. While many parts of the National Health Service continue to struggle with digital transformation, the OECD report makes it clear that the UK is not an isolated case. While it notes the increasing role of electronic health records (EHRs) and telemedicine in health systems globally, it also cites the fact that health systems across the world continue to rely on fax machines, with estimates that 75% of global fax traffic are reportedly used for medical services. “Whether or not that is exactly correct, it is indicative of the challenges that health has with respect to digitalisation or making use of digitalisation,” said Eric Sutherland, OECD senior health economist and author of the digital chapter, in an interview with Digital Health News. The report notes that digital tools and the use of health data are transforming “how health services are delivered, how public health is protected, and how chronic conditions are managed and prevented.” It adds that the movement toward more integrated digital […]
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