Page 8 - The 4th Global Standards Symposium 2022 - Conclusions

Digital health technologies for equitable access to healthcare services

The GSS-20,
Noting that digital health systems have the potential to fundamentally transform the healthcare services for
the elderly and the poor and those in rural communities and empower patients and healthcare providers to
deliver better care and improve treatments for all, especially during global health emergencies, vulnerable
persons and in situations of destress,

– Strengthens the role of digital technologies in contributing to the achievement of SDG 3 on good
health and well-being by boosting quality healthcare services and address the medical needs for the
older population and SDG 9 on accelerating industry innovation and infrastructure, while ensuring
usability and accessibility from their inception phase (as preconized by the Universal Design principle
in UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) to improve the uptake and efficiency of
technologies amongst older adults, as well as amongst persons with disabilities and with specific
needs.
– Promotes the adoption of international technical standards such as Recommendation ITU-T F.780.2
that defines use cases and requirements for accessible telehealth services as well as of the joint ITU
and WHO standard H.870 for safe listening devices and systems that bring together specifications,
assessment methodologies, guidelines frameworks and best practices that aim to enhance digital
healthcare services for the elderly and persons with disabilities, as well as persons with specific
needs.
– Recognizes that global collaboration is essential for timely, relevant and efficient response and
emphasizes the role played by partnership platforms such as the Joint Initiative Council for Global
Health Informatics Standardization (JIC) and the ITU/WHO Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence for
Health (FG-AI4H).

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