Disruptive Technologies for Next-Generation Healthcare Practices and Sustainable Development

The future of healthcare will be heavily influenced by the growing use of digital health technologies. However, there are a number of barriers which limit the adoption of these technologies at present; such as, lack of available infrastructure for technology integration into current systems. An interdisciplinary review of the literature has been undertaken using an analytical model that includes emerging digital health technologies: AI, internet of things (IoT), blockchain, big data, telemedicine, robotics and other digital health technologies. The findings indicate that AI could provide diagnostic and predictive capabilities, that IoT and wearable devices can allow for real-time monitoring and that blockchain could facilitate trusted exchange of information. These challenges include ensuring that different health care systems and services can interoperate, protecting against cyber threats to electronic data. To address some of these challenges, a comprehensive and integrated framework was developed that integrates various aspects including technology, infrastructure and interoperability, healthcare practices, and sustainable healthcare outcomes. The overall purpose of this framework is to support accessible, affordable, effective, safe, patient-centered, and sustainable healthcare, especially in low-resource settings.