Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Health Systems

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OECD health systems are facing tremendous pressure to improve health quality, accessibility and outcomes, and to do so in a cost-effective manner. Policy makers are particularly alarmed about the high rate of medical errors that have recently come to light. Although technology alone cannot solve these problems, properly designed and implemented information and communication technologies (ICTs) offer great potential to address these challenges.

Today’s opportunities for digital delivery of health care services are enormous. The language of health ICT has been changing, and references to the concept of e-health have proliferated in international health policy, management and research arenas. National and regional strategies aimed at developing health information infrastructures are emerging across the OECD area and elsewhere. Yet, the potential of ICTs to improve efficiency in health care and the changes required to maximise their benefit are not fully understood and exploited.

The OECD Health Committee discussed priorities and objectives in this area at its meeting on 14-15 November 2006, and endorsed a proposal for work on “Assessing incentives for implementation of ICTs in the health sector”. The main objectives of this project are to:

• Gain a better understanding of costs and benefits, financial sustainability and organisational constraints.
• Identify conditions and policies for achieving efficiency improvements in the health sector through the use of ICTs.
• Identify emerging best practices.

The key components of the proposed work plan include an analysis of:

• Challenges of valuing ICTs in health care.
• Drivers and incentives for implementation of ICTs.
• ICTs for improved chronic disease care and patient self-management

A first expert meeting, sponsored by the German Ministry of Health, will be held on 13 April 2007 in Paris. The primary aim of the meeting is to discuss and refine the research agenda for the project. The meeting will include presentations and discussions to take stock of progress in health ICT applications, discuss factors that promote or impede adoption or implementation, and review evidence on the impact of ICTs on the effectiveness and efficiency of health systems (particularly as related to chronic care).

For more information on the project, contact Elettra.Ronchi@oecd.org

Visit the OECD website to learn more about OECD work on ICT and on health.