Comments on: Will e-health Take Off In Emerging Markets and If So, What Are the Implications? http://www.talkstandards.com/will-e-health-take-off-in-emerging-markets-and-if-so-what-are-the-implications/ Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:30:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ajit Jaokar http://www.talkstandards.com/will-e-health-take-off-in-emerging-markets-and-if-so-what-are-the-implications/comment-page-1/#comment-803 Ajit Jaokar Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:28:36 +0000 http://www.talkstandards.com/?p=3602#comment-803 Adesina Interesting links on m-health! thanks. shall have a look.kind rgds Ajit Adesina
Interesting links on m-health! thanks. shall have a look.kind rgds Ajit

]]> By: Ajit Jaokar http://www.talkstandards.com/will-e-health-take-off-in-emerging-markets-and-if-so-what-are-the-implications/comment-page-1/#comment-802 Ajit Jaokar Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:26:12 +0000 http://www.talkstandards.com/?p=3602#comment-802 Mattias Adesina has answered the question better than I could! Yes,I used it as an example of a domain I know but its an excellent analogy as Adesina elaborates. I was thinking of Brazil + Bio fuels as well and ofcourse there could be more in future. The bottom line(to me) is - a desire to solve real problems especially due to lack of infrastructure and resources. kind rgds Ajit Mattias
Adesina has answered the question better than I could! Yes,I used it as an example of a domain I know but its an excellent analogy as Adesina elaborates. I was thinking of Brazil + Bio fuels as well and ofcourse there could be more in future. The bottom line(to me) is – a desire to solve real problems especially due to lack of infrastructure and resources. kind rgds Ajit

]]> By: adesina http://www.talkstandards.com/will-e-health-take-off-in-emerging-markets-and-if-so-what-are-the-implications/comment-page-1/#comment-791 adesina Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:50:11 +0000 http://www.talkstandards.com/?p=3602#comment-791 M-pesa is being showcased here as a great example of impeded innovation in emerging markets. But, just before we get carried away, let shed more light on some critical issues as it will affect eHealth innovations and standardization. M-PESA was able to start mBanking because it addressed a chronic and long-standing need to for money transfer in Kenya. But as Safaricom is moving close to 300 million US dollars per annual on its network, opposition from Kenyan backs arose. Currently, Kenyan lawmakers are trying to put regulations in place because there is no current one in place for mobile operators to act as bankers. This becomes a classical case for role of regulation in either constraining or enabling innovations. Without regulation MPESA was quick to diffuse, but its success has encouraged competitions form other mobile operators. So what are emerging now are multiple platforms all over Africa with no standards for ensuring interoperability and cross-platform banking. Commercial competition, customers lock-in and profit maximization is emerging reasons for these silos. Here, I argue that regulations for standardization to prevent technology lock-in and for forestalling monopoly are required. But any regulation should ensure that standards are not anti-innovation and should promote further entrepreneurship. I argue here also that this has future implications for mHealth innovations and standards in emerging markets. My observation shows that this silo practice is emerging in mHealth innovations not only emerging markets but also in developed markets. Further information mobile operators and mHealth can obtained from my blog- http://adeiluyemi.wordpress.com/category/mhealth/ M-pesa is being showcased here as a great example of impeded innovation in emerging markets. But, just before we get carried away, let shed more light on some critical issues as it will affect eHealth innovations and standardization.
M-PESA was able to start mBanking because it addressed a chronic and long-standing need to for money transfer in Kenya. But as Safaricom is moving close to 300 million US dollars per annual on its network, opposition from Kenyan backs arose. Currently, Kenyan lawmakers are trying to put regulations in place because there is no current one in place for mobile operators to act as bankers.
This becomes a classical case for role of regulation in either constraining or enabling innovations. Without regulation MPESA was quick to diffuse, but its success has encouraged competitions form other mobile operators. So what are emerging now are multiple platforms all over Africa with no standards for ensuring interoperability and cross-platform banking. Commercial competition, customers lock-in and profit maximization is emerging reasons for these silos.
Here, I argue that regulations for standardization to prevent technology lock-in and for forestalling monopoly are required. But any regulation should ensure that standards are not anti-innovation and should promote further entrepreneurship.
I argue here also that this has future implications for mHealth innovations and standards in emerging markets. My observation shows that this silo practice is emerging in mHealth innovations not only emerging markets but also in developed markets. Further information mobile operators and mHealth can obtained from my blog- http://adeiluyemi.wordpress.com/category/mhealth/

]]> By: Mattias Ganslandt http://www.talkstandards.com/will-e-health-take-off-in-emerging-markets-and-if-so-what-are-the-implications/comment-page-1/#comment-789 Mattias Ganslandt Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:44:50 +0000 http://www.talkstandards.com/?p=3602#comment-789 Ajit, Question: What e-health services correspond to M-pesa? /M Ajit, Question: What e-health services correspond to M-pesa? /M

]]> By: Ajit Jaokar http://www.talkstandards.com/will-e-health-take-off-in-emerging-markets-and-if-so-what-are-the-implications/comment-page-1/#comment-786 Ajit Jaokar Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:37:44 +0000 http://www.talkstandards.com/?p=3602#comment-786 Helen, Mattias Thanks for your comments. Training and standards will be important kind rgds Ajit Helen, Mattias
Thanks for your comments. Training and standards will be important kind rgds Ajit

]]> By: Ajit Jaokar http://www.talkstandards.com/will-e-health-take-off-in-emerging-markets-and-if-so-what-are-the-implications/comment-page-1/#comment-783 Ajit Jaokar Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:33:14 +0000 http://www.talkstandards.com/?p=3602#comment-783 Keith Interesting comments >>> It focuses on what is available today using standards, rather than “what can we build for tomorrow”. <<< That can be a whole discussion in itself :) My feeling is - it will be hard for any standards body anywhere to predict how things will pan out in future .. Its a chicken and egg situation(and hence a topic in itself) ie will standards come first(and will be designed to predict the future) or will innovation come first(and be subsequently standardised as best practise) kind rgds Ajit Keith
Interesting comments
>>>
It focuses on what is available today using standards, rather than “what can we build for tomorrow”.
<<<
That can be a whole discussion in itself :) My feeling is – it will be hard for any standards body anywhere to predict how things will pan out in future .. Its a chicken and egg situation(and hence a topic in itself) ie will standards come first(and will be designed to predict the future) or will innovation come first(and be subsequently standardised as best practise) kind rgds Ajit

]]> By: Ajit Jaokar http://www.talkstandards.com/will-e-health-take-off-in-emerging-markets-and-if-so-what-are-the-implications/comment-page-1/#comment-778 Ajit Jaokar Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:25:45 +0000 http://www.talkstandards.com/?p=3602#comment-778 Niklas Re >>> So to bounce your question back to you; what are the implications on standards in a global perspective? Will the implemented standards be locally developed or coming from Western organizations? And is there any element of first-come first-served, meaning that the first standards to be adopted – be it in emerging countries or the West – will spread to global use? <<< Good questions. I dont have all the answers :) but I think (If I were to see m-pesa)) - best practise will be globally deployed and may be standardised i.e. the initial innovation in emerging markets may be subsequently standarised. There are other areas where it could happen - ex Brazil in biofuels So, the optimist in me says that local knowlegde and innovation will be subsequently standarised kind rgds Ajit Niklas
Re
>>>
So to bounce your question back to you; what are the implications on standards in a global perspective? Will the implemented standards be locally developed or coming from Western organizations? And is there any element of first-come first-served, meaning that the first standards to be adopted – be it in emerging countries or the West – will spread to global use?
<<<
Good questions. I dont have all the answers :) but I think (If I were to see m-pesa)) – best practise will be globally deployed and may be standardised i.e. the initial innovation in emerging markets may be subsequently standarised. There are other areas where it could happen – ex Brazil in biofuels

So, the optimist in me says that local knowlegde and innovation will be subsequently standarised
kind rgds
Ajit

]]> By: Ajit Jaokar http://www.talkstandards.com/will-e-health-take-off-in-emerging-markets-and-if-so-what-are-the-implications/comment-page-1/#comment-776 Ajit Jaokar Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:14:06 +0000 http://www.talkstandards.com/?p=3602#comment-776 Adesina Thanks for your comments. You certainly have practical experience in this space. I am also a big advocate of emerging markets being involved in standards process and in fact, I take it a step furthur to say that - in some cases(like m-pesa) they may actually be leaders and drivers of the change because they will (possibly) implement it first. I agree that the conditions will be different but today many in telecoms(my domain) actually look to learn from m-pesa and carry that implementation knowledge to the west. many thanks for the comments kind rgds Ajit Adesina
Thanks for your comments. You certainly have practical experience in this space. I am also a big advocate of emerging markets being involved in standards process and in fact, I take it a step furthur to say that – in some cases(like m-pesa) they may actually be leaders and drivers of the change because they will (possibly) implement it first. I agree that the conditions will be different but today many in telecoms(my domain) actually look to learn from m-pesa and carry that implementation knowledge to the west.
many thanks for the comments
kind rgds
Ajit

]]> By: adesina http://www.talkstandards.com/will-e-health-take-off-in-emerging-markets-and-if-so-what-are-the-implications/comment-page-1/#comment-773 adesina Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:59:23 +0000 http://www.talkstandards.com/?p=3602#comment-773 I am glad that emerging markets or developing countries are considered on eHealth standards. As this is not often the case. We have to understand that standards define innovation, enterprises and industry. If many developing countries are lacking in capacity to tap into these opportunities afforded by universal standards, sustainability of eHealth programmes will be in jeopardy, I am afraid. Currently lack of global and inclusive eHealth standards makes many projects in Africa unsustainable. Empirical data from eHealth projects in Africa that I am currently analysing supports this argument. As eHealth is technology driven, my findings are that software and hardware used for eHealth projects in Africa are usually imported. Implications are that local expertise to maintain and innovate is lacking thereby increasing chance of failure. Dependence on foreign technology and technical expertise is a long-term implication of this, I argue. But current practice evidence indicates that open source eHealth software that promotes local ownerships and encourages local expertise development is essential. Projects like Open MRS, an open EHR project and DHIS, also an open health management information system (HMIS) in Africa are examples. Therefore, inclusion of developing countries’ actors and institution in standard development is essential for global sustainability. This should not be limited to eHealth software alone, but eHealth hardware and telecommunication standards should also be considered. I am glad that emerging markets or developing countries are considered on eHealth standards. As this is not often the case.
We have to understand that standards define innovation, enterprises and industry. If many developing countries are lacking in capacity to tap into these opportunities afforded by universal standards, sustainability of eHealth programmes will be in jeopardy, I am afraid. Currently lack of global and inclusive eHealth standards makes many projects in Africa unsustainable. Empirical data from eHealth projects in Africa that I am currently analysing supports this argument. As eHealth is technology driven, my findings are that software and hardware used for eHealth projects in Africa are usually imported. Implications are that local expertise to maintain and innovate is lacking thereby increasing chance of failure. Dependence on foreign technology and technical expertise is a long-term implication of this, I argue.
But current practice evidence indicates that open source eHealth software that promotes local ownerships and encourages local expertise development is essential. Projects like Open MRS, an open EHR project and DHIS, also an open health management information system (HMIS) in Africa are examples.
Therefore, inclusion of developing countries’ actors and institution in standard development is essential for global sustainability. This should not be limited to eHealth software alone, but eHealth hardware and telecommunication standards should also be considered.

]]> By: Niklas Lindblom http://www.talkstandards.com/will-e-health-take-off-in-emerging-markets-and-if-so-what-are-the-implications/comment-page-1/#comment-771 Niklas Lindblom Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:55:42 +0000 http://www.talkstandards.com/?p=3602#comment-771 Ajit, a very interesting piece. M-Pesa (and other mobile services) are great examples of how the developing world “skip” many of the developmental stages of the West and implement innovative solutions. Why is this? Are there lower barriers to implementation of new technologies in emerging countries than in the West, as we already have established systems which are slow to change? Also, I believe you are right in saying that eHealth deployment is likely to be rapid in emerging markets. So to bounce your question back to you; what are the implications on standards in a global perspective? Will the implemented standards be locally developed or coming from Western organizations? And is there any element of first-come first-served, meaning that the first standards to be adopted - be it in emerging countries or the West - will spread to global use? Ajit, a very interesting piece. M-Pesa (and other mobile services) are great examples of how the developing world “skip” many of the developmental stages of the West and implement innovative solutions. Why is this? Are there lower barriers to implementation of new technologies in emerging countries than in the West, as we already have established systems which are slow to change? Also, I believe you are right in saying that eHealth deployment is likely to be rapid in emerging markets. So to bounce your question back to you; what are the implications on standards in a global perspective? Will the implemented standards be locally developed or coming from Western organizations? And is there any element of first-come first-served, meaning that the first standards to be adopted – be it in emerging countries or the West – will spread to global use?

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