Development of the national market for healthcare services in the Republic of Kazakhstan in the context of the digitalization of the economy

Abstract

Object: The aim of the study is to identify the effects of the influence of the processes of digitalization of society on the development of the healthcare services market. The object of the research is the healthcare services market in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The subject of the research is managerial and economic relations that mediate the processes of development and functioning of the health services market in the context of digitalization of society. Methods: Statistical and comparative analysis. Findings: The article examines the economic effects of the introduction of digital technologies in the healthcare sector, both from the point of view of medical organizations and from the point of view of patients. These effects are expressed in monetary and non-monetary terms (e.g. reduced waiting times). The scale and rate of introduction of digital technologies, qualitative characteristics are shown. The rates of computerization of the work of medical institutions, equipping with the Internet, the transition from paper information carriers to electronic ones, an increase in the number of users with special mobile applications from medical institutions, SMS notifications are traced. The problems of introducing digital technologies into the healthcare sector of Kazakhstan are identified. Conclusions: During the period under review, the provision of medical organizations with computers and access to the Internet increased significantly. In Kazakhstan, medical information systems have been introduced. They have created electronic health passports for each patient, in which employees of medical institutions have entered data about patients. Likewise, other objects of primary medical documentation were transferred to an electronic format, which led to savings in paper and other carriers of medical information, increased the speed of document circulation, and reduced the waiting time for receiving a service. The creation of the National Telemedicine Network made it possible to solve the problems with the shortage of doctors in remote regions and with the speed of providing medical consultations. Introducing special mobile applications to use also creates convenience for recipients of medical services. Thus, the digitalization of healthcare services has improved the quality of life of the population of Kazakhstan. At the same time, there are certain institutional problems that need to be addressed.