E-health in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Exploring the challenges of widespread adoption

Abstract

The rapid advancements in Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) and the increasing number of smart things (portable devices and sensors) enable the transfer of health resources and healthcare by electronic means. This is known as ehealth, and today is closely related to the Internet, which provides a new medium for dissemination of healthcare-related information and for interaction and collaboration among institutions, health professionals, health providers and the public. Increased efficiency in healthcare, improved quality of care, availability, responsibility and satisfaction of patients and consumers are the main benefits ehealth offers. Unfortunately, there are many challenges associated with e-health adoption, especially in developing countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina. To understand and address the challenges of implementing and adopting e-health in Bosnia and Herzegovina, this paper presents a review which identifies the main political, economic and technological challenges for widespread e-health adoption.