Health needs and eHealth readiness assessment of health care organizations in Kabul and Bamyan, Afghanistan

Abstract

This study assessed the need and readiness of health care institutions in Kabul and Bamyan, Afghanistan for successful implementation of information and communication technology in health care (eHealth). A mixed methods design was adopted at 2 institutions in the Aga Khan Development Network in Afghanistan: the French Medical Institute for Children in Kabul and Bamyan Provincial Hospital, Bamyan. Information for the needs assessment was obtained from interviews and focus groups and eHealth readiness was assessed using a validated survey tool. The needs of institutions in the Aga Khan Development Network in Afghanistan were categorized as follows: provision of care needs; learning needs; and information management needs. eHealth readiness on average was lower in Bamyan compared with Kabul in all areas of the readiness assessment. Other institutions in Afghanistan may benefit from adopting the model of needs and readiness assessment used for Aga Khan Development Network institutions.

Leveraging E‐Health for Future‐Oriented Healthcare Systems in Developing Countries

“…Much as this is so, many studies had failed to observe that health behaviours in developing countries deviate from those of developed nations and as a result, the developed frameworks fell short of following the neoclassical model. Developing countries have high numbers of illiteracy rates, with people that lack basic information and are incapable of processing even the little available information (Durrani et al, 2012;Anwar et al, 2012). The World Trade Organization report (WTO, 2013) also confirmed that, much as there is an increase of the use of IT in a form of mobile phones and internet in many developing countries, this usage is still limited to social communication.…”

“…www.ejisdc.org As Durrani et al (2012) observed, the success of E-health implementation in developing countries could only be achieved if its cost effectiveness is predetermined before its implementation. However, this necessitates the assessment of its readiness before its implementation could be done (Ojo et al, 2008).…”

“…These factors include; identification of suitability, appropriateness and affordability of technology by health-care institutions in developing countries; institutional preparedness to meet the costs of equipment, installation, training, maintenance and provision of support; capacity building and human resource development to ensure on-going support and training; identification of suitable legal and regulatory frameworks that are conducive to support E-health implementation; investment in high level preventive health and ensuring trust of health systems to the users and citizens. Durrani et al (2012) added that developing countries need to also balance the health inequalities that result from the digital divide between their urban and rural communities.…”

“…However, the World Health Organization-report on E -health (WHO, 2009) explains that E-health is more associated with the use of digital data transmitted, stored and retrieved electronically in support of healthcare, both at the local site and at a distance. Durrani et al (2012) added that E -health is the application of IT across a variety of functions that affect health. They further noted that E e-health provides a wide variety of benefits that include but not limited to: prevention of medical errors; reduction of healthcare costs by streamlining processes; improvement of diagnostic accuracy and treatment appropriateness; levelling geographical barriers in the provision of healthcare services and facilitation of patient empowerment for self-healthcare and health decision making.…”

Electronic Health Records Implementation Readiness: An Integrative Review

“…Three key determinants of change implementation were identified: task demands, resource availability, and the situational factors. 4 Durrani, Khoja, Naseem, Scott, Gul, and Jan (2012) [16] To assess the need and readiness for e-health at healthcare facilities in Pakistan 10…”