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QA


Q: As a telecom operator, what are the main challenges in delivering innovative eHealth solutions to the healthcare sector? A: As is the case with any adoption of innovation, there is a natural process of assimilation that must be experienced, before new services can be considered to be more acceptable and main stream. Innovation, by definition, is disruptive and doesn’t come with all loose ends neatly tied up.


When such innovation is the realm of


a sensitive sector such as healthcare, the challenges are even more apparent and disruption is equally more significant. Yet, as so aptly said before, no one can stop an idea whose time has come. eHealth has become a very broad and generic term that has reached the point


54 www.lifesciencesmagazines.com


with Santanu Biswas, Director of eHealth services at du


du is an award-winning telecommunications company based in the UAE, offering inventive solutions for personal and business use through a full bouquet of services, such as mobile voice and data, fixed line, high speed broadband, IPTV, broadcast and managed services. With over 4.7 million subscribers, du is rapidly becoming the operator of choice for new subscribers in the UAE. Arab Health magazine were able to speak to du about their involvement with eHealth solutions in the region and the implications of mHealth solutions to the Middle East as a whole.


where most authorities are attempting to agree on its definition and scope. The challenges around it are both systemic and technological; as a telecom operator providing network and connectivity, both fixed and mobile, we have a huge part to play in overcoming them.  The traditional face-to-face


human transaction that relies on trust and acquired personal skills is slowly being asked to move to the electronic digital platform. The reality is, everybody resists it. Doctors, patients, caregivers, ancillary workers – everybody. However, the combined factors of increasing population, high disease incidence, escalating costs, scarce resources, rising customer expectations, and an increasingly digital adept society, is creating an environment where new models are being created, tested and found effective.  Acceptance and change management in terms of the doctor’s mindset and the patient’s compliance is a major challenge that is being faced when introducing this technology. We have to re-organise our thinking and present eHealth as an effective channel. It is not our intention


to replace the traditional healthcare delivery model – only to facilitate new channels and the enablement of greater access through cost effective means for all stakeholders.  We are of course going to talk of technology, so interoperability and integration of devices, standardisation of information, deployment of enterprise scale applications and a common understanding of protocols, codes, standards, etc. will continue to be tangible obstacles that need to be overcome. With all of the different choices available today, creating connected healthcare communities is going to challenging, and we recognise this process will be a time consuming adaptation.  Regulation is another challenge – the need is for eHealth policy, guidelines, and standards to be well-articulated and a robust medico-legal framework to be developed. Sometimes a lack of effective clinical evidence constrains regulators. They also perforce, continue to prioritise on capacity building and quality management. This is an area that will require deep thought and experience; already fresh approaches are being seen coming from government and other regulatory stakeholders.


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