Digitization of Healthcare in LMICs: Challenges and Opportunities in Data Governance and Data Infrastructure

The increasing digitization of healthcare in LMICs is an ongoing process that occurs at different rates and with variable impacts on the patient populations of different countries. The healthcare data infrastructure has to overcome the local milieu of challenges, and while addressing those, any implementation effectiveness would depend on the different regulatory and legal frameworks extant at each location. The examples used in this chapter come primarily from the Americas (as a representative global snapshot), and highlight the relative lack of regulations specific to digital healthcare applications, as well as use of healthcare data. A major challenge includes the acute need for digital education of the professional and wider population. Despite the above, the COVID-19 pandemic has sharpened the national focus on healthcare digitization, interconnectivity of stakeholders and interoperability of available systems. It is hoped that these aspects, now that they have risen to the top of the agenda, will be addressed in a constructive and effective manner, taking into consideration tailor-made approaches, optimizing the resources deployed to enhance the countries’ digital ecosystems.