ABSTRACT
Over the last few decades, we have witnessed the revolutionising of various industry sectors due to the rapid advances in technology innovations. Healthcare is one industry, while traditionally slower to embrace such technological innovations, that is now also beginning to fully embrace these technology advances. In fact, many would contend that COVID-19, while causing serious impacts across the globe, served as a catalyst for healthcare to rapidly pivot and embrace technology quickly. FZ asserts that the rapid rate at which aspects such as information technology and artificial intelligence are changing healthcare delivery is undeniable (FZ, M. (2021, February 5). A brief history of digital health. Medium. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://medium.com" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">https://medium.com/that-medic-network/a-brief-history-of-digital-health-b238f1f5883c). It is at this intersection, between medicine and/or clinical care with these new technology advances, that digital health finds itself today. Physicians are now beginning to utilise various technological processes and methods in their quest to enhance the wellbeing and care of their patients while at the same time empowering patients to foster informed decisions regarding their health and its management (Narayanan, K. (2021). History and future of digital health–ITIHAASA. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://www.itihaasa.com" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">www.itihaasa.com/public/pdf/History_and_Future_of_Digital_Health_in_the_World_and_India.pdf). Given the general interest and focus on digital health today, this chapter strives to delve into the evolution of digital health with respect to its history and varying domains as well as highlighting key the enablers, barriers and facilitators. In so doing, its objective is twofold; to highlight the road travelled to date and by doing so outline “what is this thing called digital health?” as well as simultaneously presenting the future, “quo vadis digital health”, which is both bright but challenging.
