Rethinking approaches of science, technology, and innovation in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic: the challenge of translating knowledge infrastructures to public needs

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak made it clear that despite the potential of science, technology, and innovation (ST&I) to positively impact healthcare systems worldwide, as shown by the rapid development of SARS-CoV-2 test diagnostics and new mRNA vaccines, healthcare stakeholders have faced significant challenges in responding to the crisis through well-integrated ST&I-oriented health initiatives and policies. Therefore, the pandemic has mobilized experts, industry, and governments to evaluate alternative trajectories to promote a more efficient dialogue between ST&I and public health. This article presents a critical thinking about the contemporary asymmetries in the technical and political infrastructures available for particular approaches in ST&I in health, such as precision medicine, and for public health systems worldwide, uncovering a persistent gap in the translation of knowledge and technologies to adequately coordinated responses to the pandemic. We stimulate the understanding of this process as a matter of translation between platforms of knowledge and policy rationales shaped by different institutionalized frames of organizational practices and agendas. We draw attention to the need to strengthen governance tools for the promotion of ST&I as a strategic component of the post-pandemic agenda in public health, to prepare societies to respond efficiently to future emergencies.

Identifying and addressing digital health risks associated with emergency pandemic response: Problem identification, scoping review, and directions toward evidence-based evaluation

“…Governance and commissioning styles were observed as factors affecting e-health deployment during this pandemic [4] , [16] , [17] , [18] , [19] , [20] , [21] , [22] , [23] , [24] , [25] . Bayram et al [17] addressed the overreaching risk imposed through a “command-style” government approach, and that created health IT concerns, uncertainties, and future unknowns.…”

“…Bayram et al [17] addressed the overreaching risk imposed through a “command-style” government approach, and that created health IT concerns, uncertainties, and future unknowns. The reason is that the degree of investment in sustainable technological, public healthcare, and health policy development can all hinder the resultant health system, as well as the effectiveness of disease response [19] . This kind of centralized model, that emphasized political leaders directly assuming command, often downplayed professional advice and bypassed established communication channels [19] , [26] , [27] , implying that health IT initiatives under this model may have lacked comprehensive scientific grounding [26] .…”

“…The reason is that the degree of investment in sustainable technological, public healthcare, and health policy development can all hinder the resultant health system, as well as the effectiveness of disease response [19] . This kind of centralized model, that emphasized political leaders directly assuming command, often downplayed professional advice and bypassed established communication channels [19] , [26] , [27] , implying that health IT initiatives under this model may have lacked comprehensive scientific grounding [26] . Other governments adopted an informed approach to enable trust through investing in existing expertise, with public health-related political decisions often made in close collaboration with disease and health system experts [28] , [29] , [30] , [31] .…”

“…Regarding digital solutions tailored for the pandemic, it is critical to consider the unique disease characteristics, risk factors and transmission patterns [19] , [21] , [24] , [37] , [50] , [17] , [70] . However, amidst the current pandemic, many digital health designs were unable to discern the dynamic and uncertainty arising from the COVID-19 disease epidemiology.…”

Implementations of digital technologies in COVID -19 pandemic and other health threats: multi nationals responses

“…It is a fact that digital healthcare technologies have improved healthcare delivery with quick access of remote diagnosis with-out geographic boundaries to offer and get counseling services from the physician to the patients without any waiting time (da Silva, et al, 2021). Off-course the digital health technologies were a new path ways and adapted without delaying in comparisons other economically less access nations because the countries were not able to invest digital health technologies in their health system (McGuirk, et al, 2021).…”