The systematic literature review of digital health interventions in South Africa

Abstract

Digital health, which includes digital care programs and health-related technologies, enhances the efficiency of healthcare delivery and makes medicine more personalized and precise. This discipline uses information and communication technologies to address health challenges faced by patients and to facilitate social prescribing. Key domains of digital health include telemedicine, wearable technologies, and augmented and virtual reality. Telemedicine allows physicians to treat patients remotely and includes digitized medical records, online consultations, appointment booking, and outcome reporting. Wearable technologies provide personalized health data and tracking, while augmented and virtual reality enable digitized treatments tailored to patients’ conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital health, particularly telemedicine, making it a reliable method that is expected to remain relevant post-pandemic.