Live Healthcare Console: Evaluating digital health design models, a South African perspective

Background: The Department of Health has implemented eHealth systems, yet Gauteng (South Africa) continues to experience healthcare burdens such as prioritising scarce resources. The healthcare technology landscape continues to grow in complexity, yet the availability of real-time information for decision making is limited. A Live Healthcare Console has been proposed to keep key stakeholders informed using real-time information by connecting existing healthcare resources.Objectives: The objective of the research was to identify and evaluate five eHealth design models to determine whether they can be used to design a Live Healthcare Console. The evaluation of the models considered the Batho Pele Principles, which was created by the South African government to promote service delivery.Method: A literature review was conducted to identify relevant eHealth models. The models were evaluated and scored using a custom evaluation framework. The models were also scored against the eHealth model aims (combine, communicate, collaborate and connect) identified in this research.Results: The average score of the five models was 70%, with none fully satisfying the unique South African contexts such as the Batho Pele Principles.Conclusion: A new design model needs to be created as the foundation for the Live Healthcare Console, as no model which caters to the South African context exists.Contribution: A custom evaluation framework for eHealth models considering the unique South African contexts was created. Five models were also evaluated and scored against the new framework.