Transforming health care through Bhutan’s digital health strategy: progress to date
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Abstract
Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayas with some of the most rugged and mountainousterrain in the world, is actively engaged in digital health strategy reforms aimed at improving theefficiency of the health information system. Aligned with Bhutan’s e-Government master plan, theNational eHealth strategy and action plan aims to improve health by empowering health-care providersand citizens through technology and by enabling data exchange for service delivery. The strategy hasfour primary areas of focus: (i) ensuring digital health governance arrangements; (ii) concentratingon strong foundations in terms of infrastructure and standards; (iii) prioritizing improvements in thecurrent health system in a phased, selective manner; and (iv) building the digital skills and knowledgeof health workers. With support from the Asian Development Bank and the World Health Organization,phase 1 of the strategy has been completed and the blueprint for the digital health information systemis in development. Phase 2 of the strategy will be implemented during 2020–2023 and will include workon (i) identity management for the health workforce; (ii) the implementation of a master patient indexand a secure longitudinal patient information system; and (iii) enabling all health facilities to access thesystems. Bhutan’s eHealth strategy has the potential to fundamentally transform the delivery of healthservices, strengthen primary health care and enable the development of a “One Health” public healthsurveillance system.Citation
Mongal Singh Gurung, Garab Dorji, Sonalini Khetrapal, Sungsup Ra, Giridhara R Babu. et al. (2019). Transforming health care through Bhutan’s digital health strategy: progress to date. WHO South-East Asia Journal of Public Health, 8 (2), 77 - 82. World Health Organization. Regional Office for South-East Asia. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/329332. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
Journal
WHO South-East Asia Journal of Public Health, 8 (2): 77 - 82ISSN
2224-3151 (Print)2304-5272 (Electronic)