Critical Success Factors and Challenges for Strategic Communication among Government and Stakeholders in Health Digitalization

As governments and stakeholders increasingly prioritize digital health initiatives, effective and strategic communication becomes crucial for improving the quality and accessibility of health services. Governments are expected to develop and implement effective communication policies to ensure equitable access to health information. Health digitalization policies are no exception. This review study explores the essential role of strategic communication in digitalizing health services, highlighting critical success factors and potential challenges. By employing a systematic literature review, this study identifies critical success factors such as stakeholder engagement, the use of multiple communication platforms, and the establishment of clear goals while addressing significant challenges. The study systematically reviews 33 thoroughly filtered publications in the extant literature. The details of the selection process are provided in the PRISMA figure in the methodology section. To guide the systematic review of the literature, research questions were formulated based on the objectives of the study, which include the success factors, challenges, importance, and impact of the digitalization of health among governments and stakeholders. The review findings show that challenges have left a gap, such as a lack of appropriate communication strategies to augment health digitalization. The findings also underscore the need for tailored communication strategies that align with the evolving landscape of digital health, providing valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners aiming to enhance health service delivery in the digital age. Future research and policy recommendations informed by the review results are suggested as a way forward.