The potential value of e-health in a rural Limpopo Province municipality

Abstract

This qualitative study aims to assess the value of e-health in rural areas of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The study was meant to appraise the current state of e-health readiness in rural Limpopo areas and identify any barriers to effective health service delivery. Data were collected through interviews with rural health providers from the province. The study defined e-health as an approach in which health services can be provided comprehensively by using information and communication technologies (ICTs) in a more cost-effective, efficient, and quicker way than when manual methods are used. It then established that rural health in Limpopo is deficient and almost dysfunctional because of rural health in Limpopo is deficient and almost dysfunctional because of lacking infrastructure and other problems due to scarcity of resources. Transport and road conditions, as well as a lack of patient transport, made rural health services extremely poor. The study realised that by restructuring the rural health systems in the province, there are ample opportunities to enable e-health mode to rural health service. Therefore, the study recommended restructuring rural health and then introducing it.