ICT Standardization in WHO's Proposed E-Health Strategy

Abstract

eHealth Standardization: The World Health Organization is reshaping its approach to using information and communication technologies (ICT) for health, including health in the context of the MDGs relating to under-five mortality, HIV/AIDS, Malaria, safe drinking water and essential drugs, through its first Organization-wide strategy for eHealth. This strategy is far reaching and includes a framework for global action to promote best use of ICT for health, nationally and internationally. A significant component of this proposed strategy supports ICT standardization for data exchange and representation. It covers conflicts, awareness, coordination, developing country participation, and meta standards. WHO along with its partners will be defining data standards to assist the ART scale-up in Africa, promoting more extensive use of existing standards such as DICOM and HL7, and supporting easier access to open standards and implementations.