Abstract
The implementation of information technology into the healthcare sector is inevitable to prevent future pandemics, as COVID-19 had a huge impact on healthcare services and humanity. Therefore, universal access to technologies in managing unforeseen pandemics is necessary. The objective of this study is to examine how healthcare institutions use innovative technologies to address future pandemics. The study reflects on one of the targets of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9, which is to significantly increase access to IT and strive to provide universal and affordable technology access to global citizens by 2030. This is to obtain the vision to work towards building an open, inclusive, and digital network for a secure future. This study used discourse analysis to critically analyze the use of innovative technologies like AI systems, machine learning, the internet, mobile phones, mobile computing, and other technologies adopted to manage the global pandemic. This study recommends to policymakers the importance of universal access to innovative technology to address pandemic issues.
TopIntroduction
Many pandemics mostly occur from natural or bio-terrorism like the present coronavirus 2 (SARS - CoV-2) pandemic, a human immunodeficiency virus that has influenced the use of innovative technology tools to be an essential commodity for human sustainability (Mamelund, 2017). The previous global widespread of infectious diseases have caused global pandemics, such as COVID-19, Ebola, Spanish Flu, Bird Flu, Aids, and Tuberculosis (TB) (World Health Organisation, 2011).
Information Technology (IT) tools have become inevitable, and access to universal health coverage (UHC) is essential globally for effective communication and information dissemination on unexpected health issues similar to the present coronavirus pandemic (Sein, 2020; Dhaliwal, 2018). The information and communication and technology (ICT) based convergence and digitalization era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) which emerged from the integration of the preceding Third Industrial Revolution (3IR) further enhanced the use of innovative technology for the management and continuous operation of healthcare institutions and different organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic that has been an almost instantaneous response (Voskoglou, 2016).
In addition, the benefits of using innovative technology include preventive measures and digital solutions using open data, hackathons and events, useful links, big data, and other IT resources to tackle universal access (Sein, 2020). The challenges that arise from future pandemics can be rectified through
The implementation of information technology access to a huge database resource from websites and useful platforms that can be used to analyze the evolution of prior and future pandemics (Hussain et al.,
2021). Innovative technologies in healthcare institutions can provide an increased collaboration opportunity with international bodies, government, the healthcare sector, private organizations, and public administrations (European Commission-DIGIT, 2020).
Innovative technologies maintain and transmit information about healthcare issues that can be vital to human sustainability (Young, 2020). In this context, innovative technology tools can be used to address issues about the past, present, and future pandemics that can constrain human health development (CSEA, 2020). The objective of this study is to examine how healthcare institutions can use innovative technologies to access significant information about future pandemics.
This study focuses on the importance of innovative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, mobile phone, the internet, mobile computing, satellite technology, and other technologies to manage future pandemics. Innovative technologies are effective in healthcare institutions and society, because they have a great advantage over existing infrastructure, such as large databases and the internet, which reduces the costs of old and new activities on a large scale. (ICTworks, 2022).
Also, innovative technology, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, is presumed to be a transformational technology that provides advanced innovation that can be utilized to improve healthcare services. Artificial Intelligence (A1) systems are presumed to provide extraordinary services in healthcare institutions and may transform many social and institutional structures (ICTworks, 2022). The emergence of artificial intelligence and knowledge management has transformed the process of information management, knowledge management, and database management to understand and classify clinical documentation (ICTworks, 2022).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Healthcare Systems: This refers to centres designed to meet the health needs of people or communities. Healthcare systems are providers of health care insurance to social care services, public health centres such as hospitals, clinics, community health centres, private and public health facilities, as well as publicly funded healthcare institutions.
Resilient Healthcare: This refers to the capacity of healthcare institutions to maintain high-quality services and adapt to the challenges and changes that occur at different system levels. This includes health institutions' ability to demonstrate adaptive, absorptive, accessible, and transformative capacities to effectively respond to health system shocks and disturbances.
Innovative Technologies: This refers to a process of developing new technological characteristics that are significantly improved. These are new technological product innovations or applications that are implemented in the market, e.g., digital contact tracing, Multi-Skilled AI, Messenger RNA Vaccines, etc.
Sustainable Healthcare Service: This refers to a health system that enhances, restores, maintains health services, and limits negative impacts on the environment, while leveraging opportunities to restore and improve the health institutions to benefit the wellbeing of current and future generations. Sustainable healthcare service delivers high-quality care and positive social impact to a broader population level.
UNHCR: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
3IR: Third industrial revolution.
DH: Digital health.
SDGs: Sustainable Development Goals.
NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Universal Healthcare Coverage: This refers to a healthcare system in which all people of a country have access to a full range of healthcare services when needed and wherever needed, without financial hardship, such as health rehabilitation, treatment, health promotion, prevention, and palliative care.
FRDR: Future ready design research.
SPRP: Strategic preparedness and response plan.
COVID-19 Preparedness: This refers to the preventive measures adopted in public spaces to limit the spread of COVID-19, such as social distancing, facemask to cover coughs and sneezing, quarantining, hand washing, keeping unwashed hands away from the face and ventilation of indoor spaces.
WEF: World Economic Forum.
4IR: Fourth industrial revolution.
IoT: Internet of things.
WHO: World Health Organisation.
NLP: National language processing.
CSEA: Centre for the Study of Economics.
Healthcare Institutions: This refers to health centres that focus on caring for people with medical issues or an aged person, such as hospitals, clinics, medical centres, nursing homes, extended care facilities, convalescent hospitals, health maintenance organizations, hospice care facilities, dialysis facilities, mental health, and addiction treatment centres and many other long-term care hospitals.
Future Pandemics: This refers to the possibility of a wide spread of sustained community outbreaks of diseases in a community, country, or continent.
ML: Machine Learning.
IT: Information technology.