Telemedicine in Middle Eastern countries: Progress, barriers, and policy recommendations

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Delivery Systems
• Health Informatics
• Digital Health Adoption

Background:

• Healthcare reform in the Middle East has progressed slowly.
• Expectations for healthcare system advancement remain tempered.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the progress of telemedicine adoption in Middle Eastern countries.
• To identify key dimensions influencing telemedicine implementation in the region.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of 43 peer-reviewed articles from 2010-2020.
• Adherence to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Main Results:

• Telemedicine utilization progress is insufficient and varies significantly across Middle Eastern nations.
• Cultural, financial, organizational, technological, legal, and regulatory challenges impede full telemedicine integration.
• Barriers include doctor/patient resistance, poor infrastructure, funding shortages, system quality issues, and lack of IT training.

Conclusions:

• Recommendations are provided for policymakers to integrate innovative technologies for better health information and service access.
• Health initiatives should prioritize education and promotion to raise public awareness of telemedicine benefits.