Digital Health Innovation Ecosystems: Identifying key participants, benefits, challenges and guidelines for the Namibian context

Iyawa, Gloria; Herselman, Marlien; Botha, Adele

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to identify key participants, benefits, and challenges of a digital health innovation ecosystem in Namibia. The paper also aimed to identify strategies for implementing digital health innovation ecosystems in Namibia. This is a qualitative study that adopted semi-structured interviews in meeting the objectives of the study. The findings suggest that implementing digital health innovation ecosystems within the Namibian context will result in better processes of delivering healthcare services to patients. However, implementing such an ecosystem would require resources from both academic and governmental organizations. The need for skilled experts for managing the ecosystem would also be required. Hence, adopting the guidelines for implementing a digital health innovation ecosystem in developing countries, the study proposed guidelines which would make a digital health innovation ecosystem work for the Namibian context. The findings of this study can be used by healthcare managers within the Namibian context.

Citation

Iyawa, G., Herselman, M., & Botha, A. (2019). Digital Health Innovation Ecosystems: Identifying key participants, benefits, challenges and guidelines for the Namibian context. International Journal of Reliable and Quality E-Healthcare, 8(2), https://doi.org/10.4018/IJRQEH.2019040101

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Apr 10, 2019
• Deposit Date: Sep 20, 2023
• Journal: International Journal of Reliable and Quality E-Healthcare
• Print ISSN: 2160-9551
• Publisher: IGI Global
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 2
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4018/IJRQEH.2019040101