Background: Improving access to health care services in both developed and developing countries through information communication technology (ICT) has been getting particular attention from government, medical researchers and practitioners. This has seen many governments proposing the implementation of healthcare systems that are centred on technology, while researchers and practitioners have been arguing for policies that promote the use of technology in healthcare provision. Objective: The main objective of this study was to determine the factors influencing implementation of e-health by medical doctors in public hospitals in Zimbabwe. Methods: The study was guided by a qualitative research in conjunction with multiple-case studies. Qualitative data were collected using 20 semi-structured interviews from selected hospitals concerning the implementation of e-health by medical doctors in public hospitals. Hospitals were selected using random sampling, while purposive sampling was used to select the 20 doctors. In addition, the researcher conducted direct observations at five hospitals. Furthermore, data concerning policy issues in Zimbabwe’s e-health were collected using document review process. Data from the interviews were analysed using data-driven thematic coding. This solo approach was conducted because the researcher intended to reveal e-health influencing factors that could not be revealed by related literature. Results: This study reveals that the implementation of e-health by medical doctors in public hospitals in Zimbabwe is influenced by both internal and external factors. Internal factors include ICT infrastructure and e-health technologies, ICT skills and knowledge, technical support, security concerns, lack of basic medical facilities, demographic factors such as age and doctor–patient relationship. External factors are health policy, funding and bureaucracy. Conclusion: The idea of e-health is relatively new to healthcare centres in Zimbabwe. Its application has not been sufficiently addressed. The study shows that the success of an e-health system depends on internal and external factors. There is a great potential for implementing e-health in Zimbabwe if these factors are taken into consideration. Otherwise, Zimbabwe will continue to lag behind in the implementation of e-health systems in public hospitals.

This chapter looks at Zimbabwe, a developing country in Sub-Saharan Africa that aspires to reach an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 through digital inclusiveness. Digital transformation (DT) and digital innovation (DI) may be the fundamental foundation to attain economic growth and productivity. To transit to Society 5.0, nations should develop robust technological systems, powerful, knowledgeable human resources, and a strategic direction policy by harnessing (DT) and (DI). A qualitative stance is applied using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Digital innovation identifies issues characterizing marginal communities in Zimbabwe that must be addressed to ensure that digital transformation targets rural areas, border posts, the informal sector, smallholder farmers, artisanal miners, vendors, and women (rural). The chapter then climaxes with a framework that if implemented may usher in Society 5.0, which may ensure that people, things, and technologies are all interconnected and intersect in the cyber and physical spaces.

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The chapter explores the concept of digitalization and digital technology and its importance. The research is based on a systematic literature review, which analyzed articles on digitalization and digital technologies. However, primacy was given to articles on the digitalization of organizations in a marginalized context. The chapter identified the critical success factors and formulation of a digitalization strategy formulation for the transformation of marginalized communities in Zimbabwe. Therefore, the authors highlight the need to explore human-centered digital transformation capabilities and dynamic capabilities in developing countries. The chapter then formulated a strategy for the digitalization of marginalized communities in a developing context.