=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=Vol-3309/paper28
|storemode=property
|title=Modern Medical Information Technologies: Implementation Issues and Development Vectors
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3309/paper28.pdf
|volume=Vol-3309
|authors=Oksana Tur,Viktoriia Shabunina,Anastasiia Tur
|dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/ittap/TurST22
}}
==Modern Medical Information Technologies: Implementation Issues and Development Vectors==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3309/paper28.pdf
Modern Medical Information Technologies: Implementation
Issues and Development Vectors
Oksana Turа, Viktoriia Shabuninaa and Anastasiia Turb
a
Kremenchuk Mykhailo Ostrohradskyi National University, Pershotravneva str., 20, bldg. 3, Kremenchuk,
39600, Ukraine
b
National Pirogov Memorial Medical University, Pyrogova str., 56, Vinnytsia, 21018
Abstract
The article contains analytical data concerning peculiarities of implementation of modern
information technologies in Ukraine and regulatory and legislative regulation of their use.
Some modern domestic medical information systems and possibilities of their interaction
with eHealth have been investigated. Besides, such standards of exchange, management and
integration of electronic medical information as HL7 and СEN/TC 251 have been studied.
The authors have identified the problems of using the Picture Archiving and Communication
System (PACS) and found out the features of the standard for the transmission of digital
medical images DICOM 3.0 (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine). The
positive dynamics of the growth of mobile applications in the health care field has been noted
and information technologies further development trends in the medical field have been
outlined
Keywords 1
Health care system, information technologies, medical information systems (MIS), HL7,
СEN/TC 251, DICOM 3.0 (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine), Picture
Archiving and Communication System (PACS), mobile applications in the health care field
1. Introduction
Digitization of all segments of people’s life is currently the main trend of modern society. The
digital transformation of society as a transition from the industrial era and analogue technologies to
the era of knowledge is characterized by digital technologies and a variety of innovations. It’s also the
driving force of such transformations, as saving time and increasing productivity due to the
automation of production and other internal processes of the company; optimization and improvement
of communications; reaching a new level of customer service; competitive opportunities due to the
improvement of the client experience and general optimization of the work process. Information
systems (IS), designed to collect and process information, improve management and decision-making
processes, are aimed at providing a wide range of services to both specialists and ordinary citizens.
Therefore, IS are used in many areas of human activity. In the areas of their implementation,
information systems make it possible to increase the efficiency of information support. Being actually
an integral part of the society’s life, IS affect the efficiency of the functioning of objects, and their
correct operation affects the vital areas of activity such as financial, social, state, industrial, and
business ones. Today, the use of IT is an important trend that characterizes the reform of the
Ukrainian health care system and involves the development of new approaches to the analysis of its
processes. Both in the medical and health care fields the use of advanced IT opens up new
ITTAP’2022: 2nd International Workshop on Information Technologies: Theoretical and Applied Problems, November 22–24, 2022,
Ternopil, Ukraine
EMAIL: oktur@ukr.net (O. Tur); shabuninaviktoria@gmail.com (V. Shabunina); anastasiatur@ukr.net (A. Tur)
ORCID: 0000-0002-8094-687X (O. Tur); 0000-0001-7957-3378 (V. Shabunina); 0000-0003-4505-2042 (A. Tur)
©️ 2021 Copyright for this paper by its authors.
Use permitted under Creative Commons License Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
CEUR Workshop Proceedings (CEUR-WS.org)
opportunities for improving interaction between the patient and the doctor, improves the quality of
medical care, and simplifies access to medical services.
In such conditions, the need for a comprehensive study of the effectiveness of functioning of
information systems in medicine, the regulatory and legislative regulation of their use, as well as the
development of a universal health care service, is beyond any doubt.
The aim of the article is to compare analytical data concerning peculiarities of implementation of
modern information technologies in Ukraine and regulatory and legislative regulation of their use.
The implementation of the goal involves the following tasks: investigating some modern domestic
medical information systems and possibilities of their interaction with eHealth; studying some
standards of exchange, management and integration of electronic medical information; identifying the
problems of using the PACS; founding out the features of the standard for the transmission of digital
medical images DICOM 3.0; confirming the positive dynamics of the growth of mobile applications
in the health care field; considering IT further development trends in the medical field.
2. Related Works
Many Ukrainian and foreign scientists have been recently focused on studying the problems of
using information and communication technologies in the medical field. They showcase research and
development in various areas of the health care system. So, while studying information technologies
in medicine, Ye. B. Radzishevska and V.O. Vysotska pointed to their wide implementation areas,
especially government bodies, regulatory framework, standards and compliance control, human
resources, infrastructure, strategy and model for attracting investments [1]. D. H. Shushpanov
investigated the socio-economic aspect of the 2016 introduction of the electronic register of the
patients who need insulin therapy [2]. L. A. Cherednyk considered the peculiarities of the use of
electronic information resources in the context of the transition to e-medicine. In particular, the
scientist studied the possibility to make a declaration with a family doctor via the electronic health
care system or to make an online appointment with a doctor, etc. [3]. D. O. Samofalov tried to carry
out a comprehensive analysis of the state of public administration regarding the implementation and
use of medical telecommunication technologies, and in particular telemedicine, for the universal
coverage of medical services in Ukraine, as well as developing recommendations for its improvement
[4]. Among the problematic issues of the implementation of medical telecommunication services, the
author considered those related to the determination and systematization of assistance with the use of
telemedicine technologies and the lack of a governmental position regarding the formation of a
telemedicine network. He noted that the existing legal framework left quite serious gaps in the
counselling through information and communication tools, some problems with checking these
consultations and the possibility of patient’s abuse of this resource, as well as some medical errors
because of an incomplete clinical presentation of the disease [4]. Innovative technologies of inclusive
medicine were studied by A. Yu. Zhukovska [5]. Information technology support and experience in
using telerehabilitation technologies were considered by O. V. Palagin, T. V. Semikopna,
I. A. Tchaikovskyi, and O. V. Syvak [6]. A. A. Tur and O. M. Tur investigated the modern medical
discourse in the genre diversity of the communicative sphere [7]. Problems of the development of the
health care system, associated with the need to use the latest technologies, also concerned the foreign
researchers [8; 9].
The significance of the outlined issues has been confirmed by legislative acts. Thus, in 2013, the
World Health Organization (WHO) together with six WHO regional committees adopted a number of
resolutions on electronic health care and the use of information and communication technologies in
this field. These resolutions became normative and legal acts regarding the provision of e-health in the
field of work of both WHO and its member states [8].
The Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine dated April 21, 2016 approved
Recommendations of parliamentary hearings on the topic: “On health care reform in Ukraine”. The
Ministry of Health of Ukraine, with the participation of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of
Ukraine, was tasked with developing a draft of the concept of the state policy of informatization of
health care of Ukraine, providing for the formation of the appropriate infrastructure, the creation of a
national information and computer network in the field of health care, a branch system of databases,
and reference zones of informatization of health care in the regions. These institutions were also
commissioned to continue at the tertiary level of medical care the complex implementation and
development of telemedicine technologies with the maximum approximation of its diagnostic and
consultation capabilities to the primary contact between a doctor and a patient [10]. During 2016-
2020, the development of key processes and registers necessary for the existence of an information
environment in the field of health care was started. Besides, the market of manufacturers of
specialized software, which provide access to the central database of the electronic health care system
and end-user support in healthcare facilities, began to form. The Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of
Ukraine dated December 28th, 2020 approved the “Concept for the Development of Electronic Health
Care” [11], in which a number of problems were noted, in particular, the lack of compatibility of
information and communication systems in the field of health care, the imperfection of information
and network infrastructure and interaction between national registries, the imperfection of a number
of registries, the lack of specialists for automation and change management, as well as computer and
network equipment in health care institutions, the need for sustainable financial support and the
development of effective international, interdepartmental and intersectoral interaction, etc. The level
of computerization, high-speed Internet connection, digital competence of medical workers, as well as
coverage of electronic medical information systems of health care service providers are insufficient.
These problems, on the one hand, are a challenge, and on the other hand, they provide opportunities
for rapid development, since there is no need to rework historically accumulated information and
communication systems, and there is an opportunity to immediately join the development and
implementation of the most modern information and communication technologies.
3. Proposed methodology/model/technique
According to a Frost & Sullivan report (Figure 1), the global digital health market is expected to
reach $234 billion in 2023, up from $147 billion in 2019, with the health IT services segment
accounting for the largest market share [12] So, in 2023 the growth is expected to reach 12.3%.
Figure 2: The world market of digital medicine
Both in the medical and health care fields the use of advanced IT opens up new opportunities for
improving the interaction between the patient and the doctor, improves the quality of medical care, as
well as treatment and access to medical data. One of the main drivers of such significant growth is the
shift in the focus of the healthcare industry towards value-based, or patient-centred, medical aid,
which closes the gap between what customers want and what the healthcare system can provide.
According to Deloitte, these new models of healthcare will be defined by advanced software
solutions in the field of telemedicine, shaping the future of this industry in terms of prediction,
prevention and personalization. Among these solutions are the following ones concerning to:
• Cloud Computing;
• radical interoperability and open platforms that make medical information more accessible;
• 5G (fifth generation) technology, designed for the most reliable support, with minimal delays
and large-scale data transfer;
• artificial intelligence (AI) to improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment efficiency;
• natural language processing (NLP), which can be implemented in medical chatbots, to create
detailed medical notes based on verbal or written requests;
• big data analytics, which helps to interpret medical images more accurately than practicing
doctors do;
• Data as a Platform (DaaP);
• virtual reality as a safer alternative to drugs for pain relief and treatment of mental disorders;
• VR simulation of operations for its better planning and medical personnel training, etc.;
• robotics, wearable sensors and medical IoT;
• blockchain systems that help to combine data from multiple medical systems, pharmacies,
streamline insurance claims, monitor and track supply channels for medical products, and
much more;
• educational platforms [13].
A medical information system (MIS) is a specialized software developed specifically for the
healthcare system and taking into account its needs. MIS differs from information systems in
other industries in that it simultaneously stores and processes the patient’s personal,
demographic and medical information. MIS provides the functionality, which is necessary for a
medical institution to interact with eHealth and the National Health Service of Ukraine. MIS
developers provide a full range of opportunities for automating various processes in the clinic.
With the help of MIS, a medical institution is able to carry out a variety of functions (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Functions of a medical institution provided with the help of MIS
Depending on the type of medical services for which the medical institution plans to receive
funding from The National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU), MIS should provide the ability to
connect the following modules (Table 1).
Table 1
Some specific modules of a Hospital Information System
Module name Module characteristics
1. Administrative module of for concluding contracts with NHSU and receiving funding by
the provider of primary health institutions providing primary health care
care services
for the work of primary care physicians. The module involves
working with declarations on the choice of a primary care
2. Workplace of a primary care
physician, electronic medical records, issuing an electronic
physician
prescription under the “Affordable Medicines” reimbursement
program
includes functionality for registering pharmacies, their divisions
3. Administrative module of a
and pharmacists as well as further conclusion of reimbursement
pharmacy facility
agreements with NHSU
for the work of pharmacists to pay off an electronic prescription
4. Pharmacist Workplace
under the “Affordable Medicines” reimbursement program
5. Administrative module of a
for registration of a specialized medical care institution, and its
provider of medical services of
divisions and users as well
specialized medical care
for the work of doctors providing specialized medical care. This
module includes working with electronic medical records,
diagnostic reports, issuing e-referrals, processing and repayment
6. SMC doctor’s workplace
of e-referrals, maintaining electronic medical records of patient
admission and discharge, as well as working with electronic
medical records and e-referral of unidentified patients
includes functionality for working with records of both identified
7. Working with patient
and unidentified patients; joining the records of an unidentified
records
patient to an identified one
Ukrainian medical institutions will be able to choose any medical information system from among
those that have passed the inspection and have been connected to the central component of the
“eHealth” system. The following IS are among the most common and used:
1. Health24 is a fully functional cloud MIS, which combines functional services that ensure the
work of a doctor and a medical institution in accordance with the existing standards of medical
document management (Figure 3).
Figure 3: A medical information system Health24
2. ЕМСImed was developed in accordance with the standards of ISO and the Ministry of Health of
Ukraine in order to ensure technical protection of information. MIS contains the following modules:
electronic medical card of the patient, medical documents (medical registration forms of the Ministry
of Health), medical staff, polyclinic and register office, hospital, laboratory (integration of laboratory
equipment), warehouse and personalized accounting of medicines, statistics and reports of the
Ministry of Health, services, contact centre, PACS, partners, online doctor appointment, and patient
mobile application. Among the advantages are the ability to choose modules according to the
organization’s requirements, flexible configuration, and a powerful functional component. The system
is protected thanks to the use of USB keys and encryption of all information. It also supports
integration with other products, for example, 1C (Figure 4).
Figure 4: A medical information system ЕМСImed
3. Doctor Eleks is a comprehensive solution that optimizes the work of both private and public
clinics of any size and profile. The developer is Eleks Co. (Lviv, Ukraine). This is the most
widespread medical system in Ukraine, which has been operating since 2005. As of 2018, it maintains
electronic records of more than 5 million patients. The system ensures the automation of key
processes of a medical institution, in particular, keeping an electronic medical history, creating
management reports and documentation in accordance with the requirements of the Ministry of
Health. Additional features include a full-fledged editor for processing videos and images that can be
added to documents, as well as a flexible technology for making reports. In addition, it is possible to
conduct an audit of medical documents, the PACS module and the Web client are supported, and
much more. Among the advantages are powerful functionality, a communication server for data
exchange in HL7 format with adjacent IS, external laboratories, and insurance companies. Integration
with Toshiba ultrasound is provided; import of DICOM images and connection of DICOM-
compatible equipment are supported (Figure 5).
Figure 5. A medical information system Doctor Eleks
Among others, Helsi is a full-featured system for managing a medical facility. The functionality of
the system is developed and adapted taking into account the specifics of the work and requirements of
the Ministry of Health, and is free for public institutions. MC Plus is a universal medical information
system, the main component of which is the patient’s electronic medical record, developed in
accordance with the standards of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. A feature of this MIS is the use of
a process approach to the automation of medical and administrative activities of a medical institution.
As of September 2020, with the help of the MIS MC Plus cloud solution, users could receive most of
the services provided by the eHealth system modules, such as work with patient declarations,
electronic referrals and medical records, providing or receiving an electronic prescription “Available
drugs”, registration of providers of primary and specialized medical services links, execution and
maintenance of capitation contracts with the National Health Service, maintenance of electronic
medical records (records of admission and discharge from hospitals are still under development),
diagnostic reports, electronic medical records (EMR) and electronic referral (ER) for unidentified
patients [14]. Askep.net is an international cloud-based SaaS solution for automating the work
processes of medical institutions. It contains such modules as work with eHealth, patient card,
polyclinic (appointment), hospital (maintenance of 066 and other forms), laboratory (test results),
electronic prescription, statistics (internal and formation of official), specialized solutions (dentistry,
maternity hospitals, oncology, dermatology, ultrasound, psychiatry, etc.), integration with third-party
services and equipment, etc. A list of other medical information systems recommended by the
Ministry of Health of Ukraine and information about them is available in [14].
Abroad the term HIS is adopted to use. It’s a Hospital Information System for comprehensive
management of all medical care processes, including the legal aspect. Some specific modules can be
used as additions to it. For example, RIS (Radiology Information System) or PACS (Picture
Archiving and Communication System). Separate types of MIS are Laboratory Information
Management Systems (LIMS) and Pharmacy Information Systems (PIS). They can be partially or
fully implemented as separate components of a complex medical information system.
Great Britain is one of the leaders of medical field informatization. However, it is specific that the
medical systems of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland differ from those of England. Such
fragmentation is planned to be overcome within the next ten years by integrating the health care and
social care systems into the National Health Service of Great Britain [15].
The implementation of the pilot project of the European Union “Smart Open Services for
European Patients” (2008–2014), within which information and communication services had been
developed, made it possible to exchange medical data (medical history extracts, electronic
prescriptions) among medical institutions of the countries of the European Union [16].
The United States of America is the country with the largest expenditure on health care. USA is
also the leader in the informatization of medical services [17]. In 2009, the American Congress passed
the law “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)”, which encourages all
healthcare providers to implement electronic medical records by providing appropriate payments [18].
In the USA medical services are provided by such companies as Kaiser Permanente
HealthConnect™, which includes more than 430 medical facilities and 36 hospitals, joins more than
12,000 doctors, 140,000 employees and 11.8 million patients in eight US states and the District of
Columbia; Parkland Company, which has 79 treatment and prevention facilities in North Texas;
Avera Health (South and North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska), Mayo Clinic Health System and
HealthEast Care System (Minnesota) and others.
However, almost all researchers in the field of medical information technologies emphasize the
heterogeneity, complexity and evolutionary nature of medical data, therefore there are problems of
standardization of medical information, data exchange between some medical information systems, as
well as the creation of a corporate information space of medical data. These problems are getting
worse every time, because there is the need to enter and analyse an ever-increasing amount of medical
information to provide quality medical care. Insufficient formalization (conceptualization and
standardization) of this area, as well as the rapid progress of information technologies, hinder the
solution of the above-mentioned problems. Nowadays, the search for conceptual solutions is
increasingly associated with standardization, structuring, and ways of transmitting, archiving, and
searching for medical information. In particular, standardization is designed to ensure effective
interaction of regional, national and foreign educational institutions. We suppose if only standard
software is used, medical institutions will gradually integrate into larger systems.
At the current stage Health Level Seven (HL7) and СEN/TC 251 (Comité Europnéen de
Normalization / Comité 251) are undisputed leaders among developers of medical standards. Their
standards claim wide international use.
The Health Level Seven standard is intended for electronic document exchange in healthcare
facilities, especially those where the patient is receiving intensive medical care. It summarizes the
work of a committee of healthcare organizers, manufacturers and consultants. Its purpose is to
simplify the interaction between computer applications created by different manufacturers. The HL7
standard aims to create a free ad hoc standard opened to everyone who develops healthcare data
systems. The term “Layer 7” in the title of the standard comes from the Open System Interconnection
(OSI) Model adopted by the International Standards Organization (ISO). The HL7 standard satisfies
the conceptual definition of application interaction adopted for the seventh layer of the OSI model. In
the OSI conceptual model, the functions of the communications software and related hardware are
divided into seven layers. The HL7 standard focuses on interoperability issues specific to the seventh
or so-called application level. These include data determining, exchange timing, and application-
specific transmission error reporting. Currently, the HL7 standard determines the interaction of
various systems that send or receive data on admission / hospitalization of a patient, his discharge and
transfer, requests for this data, orders, results of laboratory analyses and diagnostic tests, invoices for
treatment, as well as changes in files, containing reference and regulatory information. This standard
does not attempt to describe the data architecture within an application [19].
The European Committee СEN/TC 251 (Comité Européen de Normalization / Comité 251) was
created to develop and implement data exchange standards between independent medical computer
systems. It develops requirements for medical information structures to ensure internal data exchange
between devices and information systems; data integration for multimedia presentation; external data
exchange between departments and other legal users in any other medical sector. In addition, it
develops requirements for preservation, safe transmission and storage of information. СEN/TC 251
standards are aimed at implementation in such countries as Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Great Britain [20].
The HL7 and СEN/TC 251 standards currently account for 80% of the world’s medical
information space, but they are incompatible with each other. In order to eliminate this contradiction,
as well as to establish closer cooperation and develop compatible standards for Europe and America,
several meetings of specialists of these organizations were organized. An analysis of the approaches
and technologies used by HL7 and СEN/TC 251 has proved the greater versatility of HL7 [21]. This
conclusion is also shared by CEN/TC 251 specialists, who intend to change their own methodology
for integration with HL7 [22].
In the modern world, where computer networks and multimedia tools have become quite
affordable for many medical institutions, the problem of electronic exchange of medical images still
exists. Back in 1983, the American Institute of Radiology (ACR) and the US National Electrical
Manufacturers Association (NEMA) worked together to solve the problem by developing a digital
medical image transmission standard. For this purpose, a joint committee was created. Its tasks
included developing a standard that could ensure the digital medical images transmission, which
would be independent of manufacturers of diagnostic equipment and contribute to the development of
image archiving and transmission systems (PACS) and to their interaction with automated hospital
information systems as well as to creation of databases containing diagnostic information obtained
from a large number of remote devices of various types.
This standard was published in 1985. Its third version was released in 1991. It had been revised
until 1993. It is called DICOM 3.0 (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine). The version
was a significant step forward, since it could be applied in network environments using standard
protocols. It described the levels of compatibility with the standard, the semantics of program
commands and their associated data. The structure of the standard followed the guidelines of the
International Standards Organization (ISO). All this contributed to the fact that such major
manufacturers of diagnostic equipment as General Electric, Philips, Siemens, etc., have begun
planning for their systems to enable DICOM 3.0 image exchange.
The German company Optiware has developed the Hipax software package, which focuses on the
acquisition and transmission of medical images in the DICOM standard. The DICOM-3 standard
regulates the transfer of raster medical images obtained using various methods of radiation
diagnostics. The DICOM standard formed the basis of the European MEDICOM standard, which was
worked on by the working group WG4 of the technical committee TC 251 of the European Institute
for Standardization CEN. Modern scientists believe that the use of the DICOM standard can bring
tangible benefits to end users of medical images [23].
In medicine, it is extremely important not only to receive and transmit medical data, but also to
collect, integrate, store, and process it, as well as to search for often contradictory, incomplete or
heterogeneous information. Solving these tasks can ensure the accumulation of large volumes of data
with the possibility of their further intellectual analysis. Therefore, the search for medical images is an
integral part of the intelligent analysis of graphic data. At many hospitals modern medical information
systems are equipped with Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) [24]. The great
interest in the use of PACS in medical practice is associated, first of all, with a significant increase in
the amount of information obtained in the image form.
The possibilities of searching medical images in PACS are limited, as the search is carried out
according to the textual attributes of the image title (standardized description of the medical
examination and its parameters, personal data of patients, etc.) [25].
In PACS medical images are stored, searched and transferred in DICOM format. But since
medical images in DICOM format are large in volume, other graphic formats like JPEG, GIF, etc. are
used for searching in the web environment. Another approach to medical image retrieval is content
based image retrieval (CBIR). It is based on the detection of image features, image identification and
determination of similar images, as well as their similarity degree [26].
The development of digital technologies has changed the process of providing medical care in
many ways. Reorientation to patient-oriented service creates favourable conditions for the further
development of information technologies in the field of health care and provides positive growth
dynamics of this market segment. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the convergence of
patients and doctors with the digital healthcare technologies. Having significantly limited patients
from interacting with doctors in an offline format, it has dramatically changed approaches to
providing medical care. The main focus has shifted to the telemedicine used for remote visits. At the
same time, the public concerned started paying more attention to digital media in order to receive
information about COVID-19 and advice on their own safety. Similarly, the demand for applications,
mobile sensors and digital media increased in order to get help in maintaining their health. In general,
the pandemic has increased the need for medical support and remote monitoring of patients outside of
traditional health care facilities, for patient self-monitoring through various connected devices and
digital therapeutics that can provide medical care through the use of apps.
The company “IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science” in the report under the title “Digital
Health Trends 2021: Innovation, Evidence, Regulation, and Adoption” has pointed out that along with
the growing importance of the digital space in the health care field, there is an increase in investment.
In particular, digital health investment reached a record $24 billion in 2020, with a new monthly
record high of $3.4 billion in December 2020. This is due to the constant acceleration of mergers and
acquisitions and the growing influence of private capital investors. A significant increase of deals on
average to $45.9 million compared to $31.7 million in 2020 was also noted [28].
These trends are also being followed in the field of mobile technology to ensure impact on patient
health. So, mobile application capabilities are being expanded. It is worth noting that, according to the
report [29], the dynamics of changes in the structure of mobile applications available in the AppScript
App Database have changed compared to 2015. Thus, in 2020, 22% of applications were focused on
disease management compared to 10% in 2015, and the share of health management apps (especially
exercise and fitness apps) decreased to 29% in 2020 compared to 40% in 2015 (Figure 6).
Figure 6: Dynamics of changes in the structure of mobile applications
Figure 7: Specific gravity of applications used for various health disorders
Among applications designed for health management (Figure 7), the largest share belongs to the
programs focusing on chronic diseases. In particular, the programs designed for patients with
psychological and behavioural disorders (22%), with diseases of the nervous system (16%), and with
diabetes (15%) dominate.
Although mental health and behavioural disorders are the leading category, demand for these
applications has declined to 22% compared to 28% in 2017. Programs for patients with autism, panic,
depression and anxiety disorders, as well as applications for “assistive and alternative
communication” never stop being in demand. Applications used to manage disorders of the digestive,
respiratory and musculoskeletal system, as well as cancer diseases make up a significant portion of
programs designed to manage health. It’s interesting that apps for patients with disorders of the
digestive system have ranked among the leading categories for the first time, increasing their share
from 4 to 8%. This increase is explained by the emergence of programs that help patients adjust their
diet for irritable bowel syndrome and celiac disease. The specific weight of applications designed to
control respiratory diseases, in particular asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, has also
increased from 5 to 7%. Programs designed to manage genitourinary conditions, kidney disease,
infectious and parasitic diseases have more than doubled in demand in the past few years. In addition,
in 2020 a quarter of all applications for infectious and parasitic disease control, according to
AppScript, were focused on COVID-19, demonstrating the dominance of the pandemic over other
infectious diseases [29].
WebMD, which offers patients to learn about different conditions and their symptoms, and
GoodRx, which helps to find a pharmacy with the best price on drugs are the most downloaded
medical apps with more than 10 million installs. Besides, Governments have launched a number of
apps to streamline the health systems and help with the reimbursement. There are, for example,
Mobile JKN, Indonesia’s national health insurance app that connects patients with providers across
the country; MHRS Mobil, which is a centralized doctor appointment system in Turkey; L’assurance
Maladie in France, etc. [29].
4. Conclusions
Undoubtedly, the development of digital technologies has changed the process of providing
medical care in many ways. In 2021, the consulting company “Deloitte” in cooperation with
“MedTech Innovator”, which is at the forefront of the introduction of medical devices, the
development of digital health care and diagnostic companies in the world, identified the main trends
in the field of medical technology.
According to their report, by 2040, 2/3 of health care funding will have been spent to ensuring
people’s well-being and early detection, prevention and treatment of diseases. This is likely to be
helped by adjustable sensor-controlled medical devices, which could form a large market for new
medical technologies. The researches have pointed out that products of this market use advanced
digital capabilities, which can make them particularly attractive objects for acquisition. Such
healthcare product categories as artificial intelligence and machine learning (28%); mobile
applications or platforms (18%), wearable technology (13%), sensors (11%), telemedicine (11%), IT
in healthcare (7%) and big data or analytics (6%) have the best digital capabilities [29].
In order to provide proposals to the Project of new priority areas of scientific and technological
development of Ukraine for 2021-2030, a study of the most promising scientific and technological
areas in the field of medicine for Ukraine to achieve Sustainable Development Goal-3 “Strong health
and well-being” was conducted. The results of this study have shown that wearable devices, 3D
printing, smart technologies, health trackers, augmented reality and personalized medicine are the
priority technologies in the world [30]. Scientific analytics has identified priority technological
directions in the medical field, including virtual reality, 3D printing, robotics, artificial intelligence,
augmented reality, the Internet of medical objects, wearable devices, smart technologies, and
personalized medicine.
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