Health in the 21st Century
Putting Data to Work for Stronger Health Systems
This report explores how data and digital technology can help achieve policy objectives and drive positive transformation in the health sector while managing new risks such as privacy, equity and implementation costs. It examines the following topics: improving service delivery models; empowering people to take an active role in their health and their care; improving public health; managing biomedical technologies; enabling better collaboration across borders; and improving health system governance and stewardship. It also examines how health workforces should be equipped to make the most of digital technology. The report contains findings from surveys of OECD countries and shares a range of examples that illustrate the potential benefits as well as challenges of the digital transformation in the health sector. Findings and recommendations are relevant for policymakers, health care providers, payers, industry as well as patients, citizens and civil society.
Engaging and transforming the health workforce
Digital transformation, which includes the generation of electronic health data as well as its appropriate use, bears the promise to help address the increasing demand for health services by improving the effectiveness and productivity of health service delivery. This chapter discusses how the health workforce matters for a successful implementation of digital technologies in general and for making the best use of data collected across a health system in particular. It also discusses how the deployment of various digital innovations can affect the health professionals, for example, in terms of their roles and the way their daily tasks are carried out. The chapter describes also the skills needed to best put health data to work as well as examples of national approaches to ensure an adequate supply of these skills, to appropriately engage health workers, and build their trust in the digital technologies.
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