The promise of digital health technologies for integrated care for maternal and child health and non-communicable diseases

Abstract

Téa Collins and colleagues argue that evidence based digital health can improve access to and the quality of integrated care, especially in low and middle income countries The past decade has seen rapid growth in the use of information and communications technologies in healthcare worldwide. The covid-19 pandemic further accelerated the uptake of digital health, with the average growth of internet traffic in 2020 of 48% compared with pre-pandemic forecasts of average annual growth between 2016 and 2020 of 30%.1 The effective use of adequately designed digital health technologies (box 1) has the potential to strengthen health systems and reduce health inequalities.2 Digital health may increase access to and the quality of healthcare, particularly in remote areas; improve opportunities for integrated services throughout the life course; support healthcare workers in clinical decision making and facilitate their interactions with patients; and strengthen data collection and management for improved surveillance. Box 1 ### Definitions of digital health and related interventionsRETURN TO TEXT