Towards Virtualization of Healthcare System in Rivers State: The Needs, Hurdles and Solutions

Abstract

This work was focused on the needs, hurdles, and the solutions for the virtualization of the healthcare system in Rivers State. High medical transportation costs, transportation risks, shortage of healthcare facilities especially in the rural areas, and convenience in accessing healthcare services, if virtualized, were the necessitating factors (the needs) of virtualization of the healthcare system as discussed. The hurdles discussed were medical infrastructural deficit, face-to-face oriented culture and resistance to change, epileptic power supply, poor network condition, and low digital orientation of both service providers and healthcare consumers. The solutions consisted of more investment in medical infrastructure, reorientation and sensitization via media houses, improvement and alternation of power supply, upgrade by network service providers, and enhancement of hands-on computer education. The work concluded that a healthcare system that adopts virtualization will bring about improvements in the healthcare system. It will reduce medical transportation costs and risks, and substitutes for shortage of healthcare facilities especially in rural areas. The study recommended, amongst other things, that the healthcare sector in Rivers State and the entire nation of Nigeria should encourage employees and management to go virtual in service delivery by setting up and easing access to digital devices and technologies, improving and alternating power supply, and enhancing hands-on computer education.