Global Health IT Policies Accelerating Healthcare Transformation

1 Nations around the globe have shown encouraging progress that demonstrates how the effective use of ICT in healthcare can improve access to and quality of care, reduce costs, and improve satisfaction among both patients and providers. INTRODUCTION Information and communications technology (ICT) has transformed nearly every aspect of modern life, from banking to travel to commerce. The healthcare sector has been slower to take advantage of the benefits of these new technologies. Recently, however, global stimulus funding has accelerated the use of Health IT in many parts of the world. Nations around the globe have shown encouraging progress that demonstrates how the effective use of ICT in healthcare can improve access to and quality of care, reduce costs, and improve satisfaction among both patients and providers. These success stories can help build momentum for the use of integrated data to improve healthcare worldwide.