Page 121 - ITU KALEIDOSCOPE, ATLANTA 2019

ICT for Health: Networks, standards and innovation

the PHC level to the highest level of political leaders and related indicators, as well as their targets. It also provides a
policy makers, all need to be trained according to the federated structure of detailing out interrelated services, their
functions they perform. process flows and the process rules governing these services.
Another differential aspect of this model is clear segregation
6. ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF THE of the service model and ICT layer which defines this health
PROPOSED MODEL stack as technology-agnostic and relevant at all times.
However, the study is still theoretical rumination by the
Though ICT-based national KMS has a disruptive potential authors and needs to be implemented as a proof of concept
to mainstream preventive public health care, there are before being deemed as a visionary concept.
substantial technical, legal and socioeconomic challenges
that remain to be addressed. Some of the most critical issues 7. CONCLUSION
involved are standardization of the collection methodology,
collection of data, its verification and the identification of Establishment of NHS for public healthcare delivery is a
KPIs across various dimensions. In addition, issues like novel approach to tackle healthcare disparity. New models
interoperability between various databases need to be of data-driven interpretation, forecasting and decision
resolved [24]. Adoption of DSS would permit consistent making facilitated by an ICT-driven KMS can go a long way
dataexchange, robust measurement processes and also lead in establishing evidence-based health systems. The most
to the creation of healthy feedback loops [25]. Similarly, notable attribute of such a KMS would be to enable the
enabling infrastructure that includes robust telecom transformation of the health system from one that is narrowly
connectivity, particularly last-mile, in the context of focused on curing diseases in hospitals by health
developing countries is very important. professionals to a more holistic integrated KMS focused on
examining other aspects that impact human health, like food
Data protection, data privacy, confidentiality and data safety, environmental pollution etc. However, optimal
security are other important issues. The security utilization of ICT-based KMS in healthcare delivery systems
ramifications of personal health data misuse are several and requires overcoming barriers at multiple levels including
cannot be ignored; therefore, the regulatory framework of the standardization of KPIs, databases, processes, technology
country must be stringent. In fact, national/international and policy/regulatory levels. This entails that right from the
consortia and global data communities must ensure that there outset of its design phase, a synergetic cooperation must be
are adequate rights/instruments and related institutions to assured amongst all the disciplines related to public health.
redress grievances if citizens’ personal sensitive (health) data Such a synchronized multi- stakeholder and
is misused anywhere, without their consent. Learning from multidisciplinary collaboration shall provide an increased
the German example, the citizens must be empowered to level of citizens’ confidence in public healthcare systems,
decide, to hide or block any entry in the health record. This which in turn can go a long way to improve the quality of life
can be achieved through awareness and sensitization. ITU-T (QoL) and achieve “Good Health and well being” for all.
Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence 4 Health (FGAI4H)
can also work on the identification of KPIs, collection REFERENCES
methodology and regulatory/policy aspects arising from the
generation of health data and its usage. [1] UN SDG 3: United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals Good Health and Well-being.
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://in.one.un.org/page/
In terms of opportunities in this domain, wearable sensors sustainable-development-goals/sdg-3-2
and implantable medical devices (to monitor and transmit
health recorded data) will feature prominently in the future [2] Winslow, Charles-Edward, Amory (1920). "The
of wireless telemedicine systems. There are already many Untilled Field of Public Health". Modern
examples of wearable/implantable medical devices (e.g., Medicine. 2: 183–191.
cochlear implants, cardiac defibrillators/pacemakers, insulin [3] Van Teijlingen, E. R., Regmi, P. R., Adhikary, P.,
pumps). In the future, interfacing these wireless sensing
devices with 5G will present unprecedented opportunities of Aryal, N., &Simkhada, P. (2019). Interdisciplinary
Research in Public Health: Not quite straightforward.
crowdsourcing EHR directly into NHS by the patient herself.
Further, the tactile Internet, an ultra-responsive and ultra- Health Prospect, 18(1), 4-7.
reliable network connectivity, that is envisioned to transmit [4] Zain Abbas, Nadeem Mahmood and Aqil S M
touch and actuation in real time, will pave the way for real- Burney. Article: Information and Communication
time interactive systems being used directly by the citizens Technology in Healthcare Management Systems:
who would be able to access the NHS by employing agile Prospects for Developing Countries. International
APIs [26].The health sector is experiencing technological Journal of Computer Applications 4(2):27–32, July
advancements which are enhancing the government’s ability 2010. Foundation of Computer Science.
in providing a quality health care in an affordable and
accessible manner. [5] Jarosławski, S., Saberwal, G., 2014. In eHealth in
India today, the nature of work, the challenges and
The unique contributions of this KM model include clear the finances: an interview-based study. BMC Med.
identification of service portfolios to meet health goals and Inform. Decis. Mak. 14, 1.
https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6947-14-1

– 101 –