Digital health in Bulgaria: Imagination or possible reality?

Abstract

Digital health is an emerging, strategic health priority for years. Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of digital health technologies to make health systems and services more effective was widely recognized. Many countries around the globe have successfully digitalized their healthcare systems in some form. However, Bulgaria still falls behind in this matter and will need a rapid boost to provide a modern digital medical information system, accessible to all citizens. We did a two-step policy environmental and questionnaire-based analysis to describe the barriers, opportunities, and benefits of successful health care system digitalization in Bulgaria. digital health legislation and strategy framework are the neediest tools for the Bulgarian health systems at that point. Given the challenges and barriers to digital health transformation in Bulgaria, a well-defined regulatory and strategy framework can provide the necessary structure, guidelines, and support to drive the adoption and implementation of digital health solutions.