A full-STAC remedy for global digital health transformation: open standards, technologies, architectures and content

The global digital health ecosystem is project-centric: point solutions are developed for vertical health programs and financed through vertical funding allocations. This results in data fragmentation and technology lock-in, compromising health care delivery. A convergence of trends enabled by interoperability and digital governance makes possible a shift towards person-focused health. Together, open Standards, open Technologies, open Architectures and open Content represent a next-generation 'full-STAC' remedy for digital health transformation. Local developers and implementers can avoid reinventing the wheel, and instead build digital tools suited to local needs-where data travels with an individual over time, evidence-based practice is easily integrated, and insights are gleaned from harmonized data. This is the culmination of the vision endorsed by 194 WHO Member States in the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020 to 2025.