Management framework for sustainable rural e-healthcare provision

Abstract

E-Healthcare provision in rural areas has been defined as a promising tool to monitor, control and improve health services, especially in developing regions with scarce qualified staff and limited resources for adequate diagnosis and treatment. However, there exist particular challenges for sustainable e-Healthcare provision in such contexts that lead to low success rates. Here, economical, financial, institutional, technological, educational, and social and cultural aspects must be considered. This work presents a management framework for the technological factors influencing sustainable e- Healthcare provision with a focus on operation and maintenance requirements. The particular case of EHAS-Napo project has been analyzed considering relevant technology-based sustainability indicators, specific user needs and budget restrictions given by end-user Public Health Institutions. This work suggests a set of procedures for e-Healthcare maintenance linked to action research, also with optimized assignment of human resources and logistic and organizational considerations. The management framework is part of a broader research so-called Sustainability Action Plan that embraces a set of strategies facing all cited factors affecting sustainable use of rural e-Healthcare in developing countries.