This third global survey of the WHO Global Observatory for eHealth (GOe) investigated how eHealth can support universal health coverage(UHC) in Member States. A total of 125 countries participated in the survey ? a clear reflection of the growing interest in this area. The report considers eHealth foundations built through policy development funding approaches and capacity building in eHealth through the training of students and professionals. It then observes specific eHealth applications such as mHealth telehealth electronic health records systems and eLearning and how these contribute to the goals of UHC. Of interest is the extent to which legal frameworks protect patient privacy in EHRs as health care systems move towards to delivering safer more efficient and more accessible health care. Finally the rapidly emerging areas of social media for health care as well as big data for research and planning are reported.

The third global survey on eHealth conducted by the WHO Global Observatory for eHealth (GOe)1 has a special focus - the use of eHealth in support of universal health coverage. eHealth plays a vital role in promoting universal health coverage in a variety of ways. For instance it helps provide services to remote populations and underserved communities through telehealth or mHealth. It facilitates the training of the health workforce through the use of eLearning and makes education more widely accessible especially for those who are isolated. It enhances diagnosis and treatment by providing accurate and timely patient information through electronic health records. And through the strategic use of ICT it improves the operations and financial efficiency of health care systems. This Atlas presents data collected on 125 WHO Member States. The survey was undertaken by the WHO Global Observatory for eHealth between April and August 2015 and represents the most current information on the use of eHealth in these countries.

The World Health Organization's (WHO) strategy on eHealth focuses on strengthening health systems in countries; fostering public-private partnerships in ICT research and development for health; supporting capacity building for eHealth application in member states; and the development and use of norms and standards. Success in these areas is predicated on a fifth strategic direction: investigating, documenting and analyzing the impact of eHealth and promoting better understanding by disseminating information. To that end, WHO undertook a global survey on eHealth with which to garner baseline data on the current state of eHealth. Executed between mid-2005 and mid-2006, it represents the first attempt to examine eHealth from a regional as well as global perspective. Developed and implemented by the Global Observatory for eHealth (GOe), the survey focused on processes and outcomes in key eHealth action lines previously identified by the World Summit for the Information Society (WSIS), which are supported by WHO as an overall framework for action.--Publisher's description.

This publication presents data on the 114 WHO Member States that participated in the 2009 global survey on eHealth. Intended as a reference to the state of eHealth development in Member States, the book highlights selected indicators in the form of country profiles.

The eHealth series is primarily meant for government ministries of health, information technology, and telecommunications, as well as others working in eHealth -- academics, researchers, eHealth professionals, nongovernmental organizations, and donors. The telemedicine module of the 2009 survey examined the current level of development of four fields of telemedicine: teleradiology, teledermatogy, telepathology, and telepsychology, as well as four mechanisms that facilitate the promotion and development of telemedicine solutions in the short- and long-term: the use of a national agency, national policy or strategy, scientific development, and evaluation. Telemedicine: Opportunities and Developments in Member States discusses the results of the telemedicine module, which was completed by 114 countries (59% of Member States).