e-Health A long and healthy life for all South Africans

Prof  Darelle  van  Greunen  School  of  ICT  

EBEIT  29  May  2013  

What  is  e-­‐Health?  

 “the  cost-­‐effec(ve  and  secure  use  of  informa=on  and  communica=ons   technologies   in   support   of   health  and   health-­‐related   fields,   including   healthcare  services,   health   surveillance,   health   literature,   and  health  educa=on,  knowledge  and  research”                      [World  Health  Organisa=on,  2005]    

e-­‐Health  Strategy  of  South  Africa  

•  Adopted  by  Na=onal  Dept  of  Health:  2012  – A  long  and  healthy  life  for  all  South  Africans  

•  10  Priori=es  –  Priority  7:    Capacity  building  and  workforce  –  Priority  9:    Applica=ons  and  tools  to  support  healthcare  delivery  

–  Priority  10:    Monitoring  and  evalua=on  of  the  e-­‐Health  Strategy  

•  Globally,  Informa=on  and  Communica=on  Technology  (ICT)  has  emerged  as  a  cri=cal  enabling  mechanism  to  achieve  these.  

e-­‐Health  at  NMMU  -­‐  the  present  

•  Living  Labs  – HIV  and  Aids  –  TB  – Diabetes  – Nutri=on  –  Child  health  

•  Loca=ons  – Motherwell  – Gelvandale  –  Chris  Hani  district  (Cofimvaba)  

A  glimpse  of  the  Projects  

•  Mobile  health  applica=on  to  support  home  base  carers  –  Pa=ent  and  household  management  and  monitoring  

•  e-­‐Impilo  – Mobile  applica=ons  to  improve  access  to  school  healthcare  and  health  educa=on  based  on  the  needs  of  the  schools    

e-­‐Health  at  NMMU  -­‐  the  future  •  Web  portals  

– HIV  and  Aids  Educa=on  –  TB  Educa=on  – Diabetes  Educa=on  – Nutri=on  Educa=on  

•  Medica=on  adherence  via  mobile  applica=ons  and  medical  devices  [chronic  diseases]  

•  Health  Informa=cs  –  Electronic  Pa=ent  Records  –  Electronic  Health  Records  –  Standards  and  data  interoperability  

Relevant  Research  Areas  •  The  impact  of  e-­‐Health  interven=ons  on  the  burden  of  disease  •  e-­‐Health  interven=ons  and  health  outcomes    •  E-­‐Health  economics    •  Factors  that  influence  successful  e-­‐Health  implementa=on  •  Interoperability  and  integrated  care  •  The  challenges  of  security  and  confiden=ality  •  e-­‐Health:    pa=ent  behaviour  and  the  pa=ent-­‐clinician  rela=onship  •  Innova=ve  solu=ons  for  low  resource  se^ngs  •  e-­‐Health  media  (e.g.  mobile  phones,  web  communi=es,  social  media)  •  ICT  for  healthcare  service  delivery  •  Distant  health  service  delivery    •  Safety  implica=ons  of  using  e-­‐Health  

In  Summary  

E-­‐Health  will  support:  •  The  successful  implementa=on  of  a  NHI  in  South  Africa;  

•  The  reduc=on  of  burden  of  disease;  •  Improved  healthcare  service  delivery;  •  Health  system  strengthening;  •  Capacity  building;  •  Innova=on.