Health Systems and Reform

How can digitalization and enhanced healthcare systems improve diabetes care in the Western Pacific Region?

In their article, Boon-How Chew, Pauline Siew Mei Lai, Dhashani A/P Sivaratnam, Nurul Iftida Basri, Geeta Appannah, Barakatun Nisak Mohd Yusof, Subashini C. Thambiah, Zubaidah Nor Hanipah, Ping-Foo Wong, and Li-Cheng Chang analyze the intersection of diabetes care, digital medicine, and research culture in the Western Pacific, focusing on Malaysia as a case study.

The study discusses barriers to effective diabetes management, the role of healthcare reforms, and the potential of artificial intelligence in enhancing care delivery. Their findings emphasize the importance of multidisciplinary strategies, including digital tools and patient-centered interventions, to optimize outcomes in resource-limited settings.

Read more here: https://buff.ly/3PzlvXA

As we welcome 2025, Health Systems & Reform celebrates another year of impactful contributions to advancing global health systems! 🎉

We are grateful to our authors, reviewers, and readers for being part of this journey. Together, we look forward to another year of collaboration and critical research in 2025.

🔗 Stay connected as we continue to share innovative ideas and solutions for health systems.

How did digital training innovations support health services across borders during COVID-19?

In their recent article, Caroline Benski, Aya Goto, Abéline Hantavololona, Vonimboahangy Andrianarisoa, Paulin Ramasy Manjary, Giovanna Stancanelli, Saekhol Bakri, Muflihatul Muniroh, and Chihaya Koriyama explore how digital technologies facilitated health training between Japan, Indonesia, Switzerland, and Madagascar.

The study highlights two cases: school health education in Indonesia and obstetric care training in Madagascar. Learn more here: https://buff.ly/4etwJqT

How is digitalized peer support changing patient-provider relationships in Japan?
In her latest article, Miwako Hosoda investigates the impact of online peer support on patient empowerment and healthcare dynamics in Japan.

The study reveals how digital tools, including virtual reality spaces, can improve patient comfort and disease management. While noting challenges such as technical limitations and concerns about accessibility, Hosoda's research primarily shows how these digital initiatives are reshaping traditional patient roles, fostering more active and collaborative participation in healthcare.

Read more here: https://buff.ly/4exDBmW

What was the impact of social media on COVID-19 behaviors in Japan?

In their recent article, Shuko Takahashi, Naomi Takahashi, Masaru Nohara, and Ichiro Kawachi explore the relationships between different types of media usage, vaccine hesitancy, and COVID-19 risk behaviors.

Their study examines how different age groups respond to information from internet sources, news apps, and social media, offering insights for future public health communication strategies.

Read the full article here: https://buff.ly/3Uzxac5

Explore the transformative impact of internet telemedicine on China's healthcare landscape!

In their comprehensive study, Terence C Cheng and Winnie Yip explore the rapidly evolving landscape of internet telemedicine in this country. The authors trace its development from early information networks to today's sophisticated online healthcare ecosystem.

Their insightful analysis covers:
➡️ The unique public-private mix in China's telemedicine market
➡️ Innovative pricing models and platform-based healthcare delivery
➡️ Challenges in accessibility, affordability, and quality of care

Read the full article: https://buff.ly/3YwsOU5

In 2021, India launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to strengthen the digital health ecosystem by developing and integrating health data records and registries.

Udaya Shankar Mishra, Suryakant Yadav, and William Joe assessed the progress of this ambitious initiative through the control k**b framework, which focuses on significant causal determinants of health system performance that are amenable to adjustment or changes via government action.

Their analysis reveals ABDM's impact on creating digital health IDs, linking patient records, and registering healthcare facilities and professionals across India's diverse states. The authors identify promising advancements and persistent challenges in this nationwide digital health transformation.

Read the full article: https://buff.ly/3Ahhpzm

Discover how AI can revolutionize health systems in low and middle-income countries! 🌍💻🏥

África Periáñez, Ana Fernández Del Río, Ivan Nazarov, Enric Jané, Moiz Hassan, Aditya Rastogi and Dexian Tang present the Causal Foundry AI and Reinforcement Learning platform, which integrates with digital health tools to deliver adaptive interventions and improve health system performance.

Learn how this innovative approach can enhance supply chain operations, patient management, and capacity building in resource-constrained settings.

Read the full article: https://buff.ly/3Vu9lCX

The Special Issue celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Takemi Program in International Health at Harvard University explores how digital health is being implemented in health systems.

The papers examine topics proposed in the 2019 commentary "Digital Technology and the Future of Health Systems," where Marc Mitchell and Lena Kan predicted five ways digital technology will transform healthcare delivery:

1️⃣ Access to Internet-Based Information Will Be Universal
2️⃣ Health Workers Will Be Digitally Supported
3️⃣ Most Health Care Will Be Provided at Home
4️⃣ Transportation and Logistics Management Could Be Revolutionized
5️⃣ Data Will Be Central to Health Systems

Read the Introduction by Michael R. Reich here: https://buff.ly/3BYT69V

Discover how objective-oriented health systems reform can address key underlying system-level performance problems!

In this article, Joseph Kutzin, Susan P. Sparkes, Alexandra J. Earle, Agnes Gatome-Munyua, and Nirmala Ravishankar outline a practical framework emphasizing problem orientation, policy consistency, and continuous evaluation. Drawing on case studies from Burundi and Kyrgyzstan, they demonstrate how aligning reforms with clearly defined objectives can improve equity, financial protection, and system efficiency.

Read their full article here: https://buff.ly/3CSdbzb

Explore the impact of digital health on Taiwan's National Health Insurance system!

Jui-Fen Rachel Lu and Li-Lin Liang explored the integration of digital technologies in health delivery, from cloud-based data sharing to telemedicine. They examined Taiwan's use of digital tools during COVID-19 and identified emerging issues of digital trust and the digital divide. Their research offers insights into policy recommendations for equitable access to digital health services in universal coverage systems.

Read the full article: https://buff.ly/4g5yqM2

Explore the transformative role of digital health for Palestine refugees in the post-pandemic era!

In their recent article, Akihiro Seita, Ghada Ballout, Shatha Albeik, Zaid Salameh, Wafaa Zeidan, Sayed Shah, Saed Atallah, and Masako Horino analyze how UNRWA's e-Health system sustained vital health services for 5.9 million refugees during COVID-19. Discover how innovations like telemedicine and smart health apps helped ensure continuity of care, reduce virus transmission, and shape future outbreak responses.

Read the full article: https://buff.ly/3AViX2s