DIGITAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC POLICIES: EVOLUTION AND CHALLENGES FOR BRAZIL

Abstract

Digital health is a field that involves the use of information and communication technologies to improve the quality, efficiency, and equity of health services. In Brazil, digital health gained prominence mainly after the COVID-19 pandemic, which required the adoption of social distancing measures and the expansion of access to telemedicine, telehealth, and electronic medical records. However, the country faces several challenges in creating public policies that can guide and regulate the creation, implementation, and use of digital health benefits. Among these challenges, we can highlight the territorial dimension and regional inequalities, which hinder the universalization and integration of health information systems and the availability of adequate technological infrastructure in all areas of the country. This paper presents a review of public initiatives and policies in Brazil, analyzing scientific publications, standards, resolutions and laws that deal with this theme and proposes as a result the challenges that need to be overcome in the development or improvement of existing policies in the field of digital health. Among the existing challenges for the development of these policies are the large population and socioeconomic diversity, which demand personalized solutions adapted to the different realities and needs of users, as well as the guarantee of digital inclusion and health literacy, the unequal distribution of medical professionals and other health categories, which imposes limits on the supply and quality of health services,  especially in the most remote and vulnerable areas, and which requires continuous training of workers in digital health, the General Data Protection Law (LGPD) and the adoption of new technologies, which bring new ethical, legal and technical challenges for the protection of privacy and security of personal health data, as well as for the evaluation of effectiveness,  the effectiveness and security of digital health solutions. In view of these challenges, it is essential that Brazil develops a national digital health strategy, which can define the objectives, guidelines, responsibilities, and actions to promote the appropriate and sustainable use of information and communication technologies in health, for the benefit of the Brazilian population.