Can Health Information Technology Improve Health Care Worldwide?
We believe that eHealth has enormous potential for improving care in all nations. Although islands of substantial progress exist, this potential remains largely unrealized globally. While some commentators have suggested that electronic records may be out of reach for developing nations, an increasing body of work shows that use of electronic tools can result in large health improvements, even in resource-poor environments [2]–[5], and the World Wide Web means that the latest information is now available anywhere there is an Internet connection, which in itself represents a huge development. Although an increasing array of data show that health information technology (HIT) can improve the efficiency, quality, and safety of health care [6]–[8], the aggregate benefits are still debated and remain controversial [9],[10]. It is therefore clear that additional research is needed to better define the possible benefits of HIT even within countries, let alone internationally. It is perhaps not
