Data-driven technologies for global healthcare practices and COVID-19: opportunities and challenges

Abstract

This paper discusses the applications of data-driven technologies in managing healthcaredata services and information systems, as well as how they stimulate innovations to bringmajor improvements in the industry. The study explores the novel applications of digitaltechnologies such as Big Data, AI, 3D Printing, and Blockchain and the most challenging partsof data security, privacy, and interoperability in healthcare organisations. Whilst the numberof articles on this subject have been steadily increasing owing to the sweeping health crisis ofCOVID-19 Pandemic, there is absence of systematic literature review that comprehensivelyexplored the existing and potential applications of these digital data-driven innovations inresponse to the pandemic, and in handling healthcare data services. The review outlined sixprincipal facets namely: hospitals practices, clinical services, patients’ home, nursing homes,rural areas, and anywhere, which provided the useful insights and the journey involved inthe emergence of data-driven technologies for healthcare Practices. These facets are builtacross the multiple levels and unique conceptual standpoints indicated by 10 sub-themes.These themes were generated based on 77 articles (2010–2022) drawn from 40 leadingJournals. Overall, there is a considerable consensus across current literature that digital datadriven technologies extend far beyond mitigating the significant impacts of coronavirus onhealthcare industry. They have the potential to support and provide more responsive digitalsolutions to the data management crises that industry has been characterised, such as highdemands of rising aging populations with chronic diseases, child mortality and potentialimpacts of pandemics.