ABSTRACT
Defi ning the state of healthcare information technology for all of the Middle East resembles the folly of attempting to place all European countries into the “Pan-European” category. Each European country is unique, with its own set of economic, political, and social issues. Just as there is no “one size fi ts all” conclusion that can be made about the European continent, generalities cannot be made about the region known as the Middle East. This region of the world operates as a loosely held collection of independently functioning countries, each with its own set of opportunities and challenges. Broad brush assumptions and generalities do not do justice to the Middle East and its adoption of healthcare technology. The case studies that appear in this chapter illustrate that point.
