The critical role of Digital Health in Public Health

Abstract

Digitalization in itself is not simply a means to an end but involves an operational change in workflows that is on the critical-path to the digital transformation of public health. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a unique opportunity to put a shining light on all the different technologies that were available and also consider a large number of new and innovative technologies that were developed in a breath-taking place over a period of one year. These different initiatives also brought relevant advances in public health needs such as epidemiological surveillance, rapid case identification, interruption of community transmission and communication with different audiences. Moreover, social media channels, blogs and websites confirmed to be a fertile ground to find data for research, but also to spread misinformation - and public health professionals should be ready to counter that threat effectively. This presentation aims to provide a comprehensive background on digital tools and strategies that can be used in national and local public health services and how stakeholder alignment across different sectors could propel forward the implementation of digital solutions.