Digital health: How technology is revolutionizing healthcare—and who’s being left behind
Digital health: AI, telemedicine, apps transform healthcare but equity gaps persist
Dr. Amina Hassan in rural Kenya now consults with specialists 800 kilometers away through her smartphone.
Five years ago, when a patient presented with a complex cardiac condition, she had two options: refer them to distant hospitals they couldn’t afford to reach, or attempt treatment beyond her expertise with outdated textbooks as her only guide.
Now, she shares electrocardiograms instantly via WhatsApp with cardiologists at Nairobi’s national hospital. She participates in weekly telemedicine case discussions with physicians across East Africa. A digital health app guides her through treatment protocols for conditions she encounters infrequently.
“Technology changed everything,” Dr. Hassan explained. “I’m no longer isolated. I have expert colleagues in my pocket. My patients get better care without leaving their community.”
Her experience illustrates digital health’s transformative potential—using information and communication technologies to improve health outcomes, enhance healthcare delivery, and strengthen health systems.
According to WHO’s information on digital health, digital technologies are now integral to daily life, with the world’s population more interconnected than ever. Yet application to improve population health remains largely untapped, with immense scope for digital health solutions. Platforms like Studycast are enabling healthcare providers to securely share and analyze medical imaging, allowing remote specialists to collaborate on diagnoses in real time—making digital diagnostics more effective, even in resource-limited settings. The question isn’t whether digital health will transform healthcare—it already is. The question is whether that transformation will be equitable or deepen existing health disparities.
The question isn’t whether digital health will transform healthcare—it already is. The question is whether that transformation will be equitable or deepen existing health disparities.
What Digital Health Actually Includes
Digital health is a broad term encompassing multiple technologies and applications, as outlined in WHO’s Global Strategy on Digital Health.
Telemedicine and telehealth connect patients with healthcare providers remotely via video consultations, remote monitoring, and digital communication. WHO and ITU published guidance on making telehealth services accessible to ensure inclusive design.
Mobile health (mHealth) uses mobile devices for health services and information—appointment reminders, medication adherence apps, health education, and data collection. WHO’s Be He@lthy, Be Mobile initiative promotes mHealth programs globally.
Artificial intelligence analyzes medical images, predicts disease outbreaks, personalizes treatment recommendations, and supports clinical decisions. WHO released AI ethics and governance guidance for large multi-modal models and outlined regulatory considerations.
Electronic health records digitize patient information, enabling coordination across providers and reducing errors.
Digital diagnostics include remote monitoring devices, wearable sensors tracking vital signs, and smartphone-based diagnostic tools.
Health information systems collect and analyze population health data for surveillance, planning, and response.
Digital certification documents vaccination status, test results, and health credentials. WHO developed Smart Vaccination Certificates for COVID-19 and other diseases.
For more on health technology innovation, see our article on medical technology advances.
WHO’s Global Strategy: Making Digital Health Work for Everyone
WHO adopted the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2027 to promote healthy lives and wellbeing for everyone, everywhere, through digital technologies.
The strategy presents a roadmap linking innovation and digital health to improve health outcomes. WHO’s strategic vision is for digital health to support equitable and universal access to quality health services, making health systems more efficient, sustainable, and capable of delivering good quality, affordable care.
WHO has three key objectives:
1. Translating data, research, and evidence into action by promoting interoperability standards and data sharing, and supporting implementation of digital solutions contributing to informed decision-making.
2. Enhancing knowledge through scientific communities of practice enabled by new technologies—bringing together global expert voices on clinical and public health topics without geographical limitations.
3. Systematically linking country needs with innovation supply by taking a proactive approach to identify, promote, co-develop, and scale innovations based on actual country needs rather than assuming “if you build it, they will use it.”
Recently, the World Health Assembly extended the Global Strategy to 2027 and approved the next phase for 2028-2033.
WHO also launched the Global Initiative on Digital Health to accelerate progress, supported by multiple partnerships including with the European Union to advance digitized health systems in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Promise: What Digital Health Can Achieve
The potential is extraordinary and increasingly demonstrated.
During COVID-19, digital technologies enabled rapid vaccine development, contact tracing, remote consultations reducing infection exposure, and communication of public health guidance to billions.
WHO unveiled S.A.R.A.H., a digital health promoter using generative AI to provide public health information in multiple languages, 24/7.
Digital tools support maternal health—WHO launched a digital tool for self-monitoring blood pressure in pregnancy, potentially preventing complications.
Mobile apps address specific health challenges. The hearWHO app screens for hearing loss. Digital platforms support tobacco cessation, mental health, physical activity, and family planning.
WHO collaborated with gaming companies to reach young audiences with health messages during COVID-19, and partnered with TikTok to provide science-based health information.
Research shows that boosting digital health can help prevent millions of deaths from noncommunicable diseases.
WHO and the Society of Robotic Surgery launched an initiative to expand access to virtual care and telesurgery, potentially bringing surgical expertise to remote locations.
The Challenge: The Digital Divide
Here’s the problem: digital health’s benefits concentrate where internet connectivity, electricity, devices, and digital literacy already exist—predominantly in high-income countries.
Low- and middle-income countries face multiple barriers. Limited internet infrastructure means many rural areas lack connectivity. Unreliable electricity prevents device charging and system operation. Shortages of smartphones and computers limit access. Low digital literacy means people can’t navigate apps or platforms. Language barriers exclude those who don’t speak languages in which digital tools are developed.
Healthcare systems in resource-limited settings lack digital infrastructure—no electronic health records, limited health information systems, inadequate data storage and security.
Cost creates barriers. Digital health systems require initial investment and ongoing maintenance that cash-strapped health systems can’t afford.
Maria Santos, a community health worker in rural Guatemala, described the reality: “They gave us tablets with a health app. Beautiful technology. But we have no internet in our villages. The electricity only works a few hours daily. The app is in English, and my patients speak indigenous languages. So the expensive tablets sit unused while we continue with paper forms.”
The digital divide risks creating a two-tier global health system—high-tech care for wealthy populations, basic manual systems for poor populations.
WHO’s empowering countries to harness digital health initiative addresses these challenges by building capacity and providing implementation guidance.
For more articles on global health equity, visit ObserverVoice.com.
Navigating the Risks: AI, Privacy, and Ethics
Digital health introduces new risks requiring careful governance.
Artificial intelligence in healthcare raises concerns about accuracy, bias, transparency, and accountability. AI trained on data from one population may perform poorly on others, potentially worsening health disparities. WHO’s work on safe and ethical AI and collaboration with regulators emphasizes that countries need collaborative approaches to advance safe and equitable AI in health.
Data privacy and security matter enormously. Health data is highly sensitive. Breaches can harm individuals and undermine trust. Ransomware attacks against hospitals disrupt care and endanger lives.
Digital health can exacerbate inequalities if designed without accessibility considerations. WHO and partners work to ensure digital health serves everyone, not just those already privileged.
What Must Happen
Realizing digital health’s potential while avoiding pitfalls requires comprehensive action.
Invest in infrastructure: Countries need reliable internet connectivity, electricity, and device access—fundamental prerequisites for digital health.
Build capacity: Healthcare workers need training in digital health tools. Communities need digital literacy support.
Ensure interoperability: Systems must communicate with each other. WHO promotes open interoperability standards to prevent fragmentation.
Protect privacy and security: Robust data governance frameworks must protect health information while enabling beneficial uses.
Govern AI responsibly: AI development and deployment need ethical frameworks, regulatory oversight, and ongoing monitoring.
Design for equity: Digital health solutions must work for diverse populations, including those with limited connectivity, devices, or digital literacy.
Base on evidence: Innovations should address actual health needs with demonstrated effectiveness, not just deploy technology for its own sake.
WHO maintains a Global Repository on National Digital Health Strategies and offers a Digital Health Planning National Systems Course to support implementation.
The Bottom Line
Digital health is revolutionizing healthcare delivery through telemedicine, mobile health apps, artificial intelligence, electronic health records, and digital diagnostics.
WHO’s Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2027 guides equitable adoption to improve health outcomes for everyone, everywhere.
The potential is extraordinary—expanding access, improving quality, reducing costs, and enabling innovations impossible with traditional approaches.
But realizing that potential requires addressing the digital divide, investing in infrastructure, building capacity, governing AI responsibly, protecting privacy, and designing for equity.
Back to Dr. Hassan in rural Kenya: telemedicine transformed her practice and saved her patients’ lives. But she’s acutely aware of the privilege her clinic has—solar panels providing reliable electricity, a government program providing smartphones and data plans, and her own tech-savviness from university training.
“Ten kilometers from here, there’s a health post with no electricity, no internet, and a health worker who’s never used a smartphone,” she explained. “Digital health is amazing, but it’s not magic. We need the infrastructure, training, and support to make it work for everyone, not just the lucky few.”
She’s absolutely right. The future of healthcare is digital—but only if we ensure that future includes everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Digital health uses information and communication technologies to improve health outcomes, enhance healthcare delivery, and strengthen health systems. It includes telemedicine/telehealth (remote consultations and monitoring), mobile health apps for services and information, artificial intelligence analyzing medical data and supporting decisions, electronic health records digitizing patient information, digital diagnostics and remote monitoring devices, health information systems for population data, and digital certification documenting health status. WHO’s strategic vision is for digital health to support equitable and universal access to quality health services, making systems more efficient and sustainable. Learn more at WHO’s digital health information page and read the Global Strategy on Digital Health.
WHO’s Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2027, adopted in 2020 and recently extended to 2027 with the next phase approved for 2028-2033, provides a roadmap to link innovation and digital health to improve health outcomes. Three key objectives: (1) translating data, research, and evidence into action through interoperability standards and data sharing; (2) enhancing knowledge through scientific communities of practice enabled by technology; (3) systematically linking country needs with innovation supply. The strategy aims to promote healthy lives for everyone, everywhere, supporting countries in strengthening health systems through digital technologies. WHO launched the Global Initiative on Digital Health to accelerate progress.
AI applications in healthcare include analyzing medical images, predicting disease outbreaks, personalizing treatment recommendations, supporting clinical decisions, and providing public health information through chatbots like WHO’s S.A.R.A.H. digital health promoter. Research suggests digital health including AI can help prevent millions of deaths from noncommunicable diseases. However, concerns include accuracy, bias (AI trained on one population may perform poorly on others), transparency, accountability, and data privacy. WHO released AI ethics and governance guidance, outlined regulatory considerations, and emphasizes collaborative approaches for safe and equitable AI.
Multiple barriers limit digital health adoption in resource-limited settings: limited internet infrastructure means many rural areas lack connectivity; unreliable electricity prevents device operation; shortages of smartphones and computers limit access; low digital literacy means people can’t navigate digital tools; language barriers exclude non-English speakers; healthcare systems lack digital infrastructure like electronic health records; cost creates barriers for initial investment and ongoing maintenance. The digital divide risks creating a two-tier system—high-tech care for wealthy populations, basic systems for poor populations. WHO works to empower countries to harness digital health through capacity building and partnerships like the collaboration with the European Union for sub-Saharan Africa.
WHO has developed and supported numerous digital health innovations: S.A.R.A.H., an AI-powered digital health promoter providing public health information 24/7; Smart Vaccination Certificates for COVID-19 and other diseases; a digital tool for self-monitoring blood pressure in pregnancy; the hear WHO app for hearing screening; digital toolkits for family planning and tobacco cessation; partnerships for telesurgery and virtual care; collaborations with TikTok and gaming platforms to reach young audiences; and guidance on making telehealth accessible.
External Resources:
- WHO Digital Health Information Hub
- WHO Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2027
- Global Initiative on Digital Health
- WHO AI Ethics and Governance Guidance
- WHO S.A.R.A.H. Digital Health Promoter
- Be He@lthy, Be Mobile Initiative
- Smart Vaccination Certificate Working Group
- Guidance on Making Telehealth Accessible
- WHO and EU Collaboration on Digital Health in Africa
- Global Repository on National Digital Health Strategies
Disclaimer: This article is an adaptation of publicly available information from WHO’s Digital health
health topic page (WHO, Geneva. Licence: CC BYNC-SA 3.0 IGO). WHO is not responsible for the
content or accuracy of this adaptation. This content is for informational and educational purposes
only and does not constitute medical advice. ObserverVoice.com is a news and information platform
— not a healthcare provider.
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