Factors Influencing the Successful Implementation of eHealth in Healthcare Facilities in Developing Countries: A Scoping Review

Abstract

eHealth is the leveraging of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in health. Its use in complementing health services has  risen substantially in the previous 20 years. The study explored the factors that influence the implementation of eHealth in healthcare  delivery in developing countries. Three scientific bibliographical databases: PubMed, EBSCO Host, and Google Scholar were reviewed.  Titles and abstracts were assessed using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. An exploratory study was done to assess the factors  (facilitators and barriers) influencing the successful implementation of eHealth in developing countries. The searches yielded 11,001  resources, with 33 articles meeting the inclusion criterion of being in English and describing eHealth implementation in developing countries in the period January 2016 to December 2023. These were included in the study and thoroughly analyzed. Some key factors that  influence the successful implementation of eHealth services were presented with computer literacy having the highest frequency in  eHealth implementation. It is worth noting that barriers are factors that have a negative impact on implementation; nevertheless, by  addressing barriers early on, they can be viewed as facilitators.