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Integrating Digital Technologies and Public Health to Fight Covid-19 Pandemic: Key Technologies, Applications, Challenges and Outlook of Digital Healthcare

Author

Listed:
  • Qiang Wang

    (School of Economics and Management, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China)

  • Min Su

    (School of Economics and Management, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China)

  • Min Zhang

    (School of Economics and Management, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China)

  • Rongrong Li

    (School of Economics and Management, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China)

Abstract

Integration of digital technologies and public health (or digital healthcare) helps us to fight the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which is the biggest public health crisis humanity has faced since the 1918 Influenza Pandemic. In order to better understand the digital healthcare, this work conducted a systematic and comprehensive review of digital healthcare, with the purpose of helping us combat the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper covers the background information and research overview of digital healthcare, summarizes its applications and challenges in the COVID-19 pandemic, and finally puts forward the prospects of digital healthcare. First, main concepts, key development processes, and common application scenarios of integrating digital technologies and digital healthcare were offered in the part of background information. Second, the bibliometric techniques were used to analyze the research output, geographic distribution, discipline distribution, collaboration network, and hot topics of digital healthcare before and after COVID-19 pandemic. We found that the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly accelerated research on the integration of digital technologies and healthcare. Third, application cases of China, EU and U.S using digital technologies to fight the COVID-19 pandemic were collected and analyzed. Among these digital technologies, big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, 5G are most effective weapons to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications cases show that these technologies play an irreplaceable role in controlling the spread of the COVID-19. By comparing the application cases in these three regions, we contend that the key to China’s success in avoiding the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic is to integrate digital technologies and public health on a large scale without hesitation. Fourth, the application challenges of digital technologies in the public health field are summarized. These challenges mainly come from four aspects: data delays, data fragmentation, privacy security, and data security vulnerabilities. Finally, this study provides the future application prospects of digital healthcare. In addition, we also provide policy recommendations for other countries that use digital technology to combat COVID-19.

Suggested Citation

  • Qiang Wang & Min Su & Min Zhang & Rongrong Li, 2021. "Integrating Digital Technologies and Public Health to Fight Covid-19 Pandemic: Key Technologies, Applications, Challenges and Outlook of Digital Healthcare," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-50, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:11:p:6053-:d:568819
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    Cited by:

    1. Zixin (Jessie) Jin & Zongjie Wang, 2022. "Operational and Financial Impacts of Digital Health Technology: A Study on Canadian Healthcare System during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-10, November.
    2. Clarissa Lemmen & Dusan Simic & Stephanie Stock, 2021. "A Vision of Future Healthcare: Potential Opportunities and Risks of Systems Medicine from a Citizen and Patient Perspective—Results of a Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-20, September.
    3. Sanying Peng & Fang Yuan & Ahmad Tajuddin Othman & Xiaogang Zhou & Gang Shen & Jinghong Liang, 2022. "The Effectiveness of E-Health Interventions Promoting Physical Activity and Reducing Sedentary Behavior in College Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-20, December.
    4. Min Su & Qiang Wang & Rongrong Li, 2021. "How to Dispose of Medical Waste Caused by COVID-19? A Case Study of China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-18, November.
    5. Helga Rafael Henriques & Tiago Nascimento & Andreia Costa, 2023. "Nurses’ Experiences of Care in Portuguese Nursing Homes during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Focus Group Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(16), pages 1-17, August.
    6. Jungsuk Kim & Gemma Estrada & Yothin Jinjarak & Donghyun Park & Shu Tian, 2022. "ICT and Economic Resilience during COVID-19: Cross-Country Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-19, November.
    7. Chia-Jung Lee & Yen Hsu, 2021. "Promoting the Quality of Life of Elderly during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-12, June.
    8. Keng Yang & Hanying Qi, 2022. "Research on Health Disparities Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Bibliometric Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-25, January.
    9. Lin Cai & Zengsong Huang & Qiujin Feng & Xiaoming Chang & Kexin Yan, 2022. "Co-Transformation of Digital Health and eSport in Metaverse: Moderating Effects of Digital Personality on Mental Health in Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-17, December.
    10. Elisa Mancinelli & Giulia Bassi & Silvia Gabrielli & Silvia Salcuni, 2022. "The Efficacy of Digital Cognitive–Behavioral Interventions in Supporting the Psychological Adjustment and Sleep Quality of Pregnant Women with Sub-Clinical Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-18, August.

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