Understanding WHO SMART Guidelines: Narrative Review of an Innovative Global Digital Health Approach

Stud Health Technol Inform. 2024 Aug 22:316:1994-1998. doi: 10.3233/SHTI240825.

Abstract

The growing challenges of healthcare systems pose a unique opportunity to leverage evidence-based digital health interventions. The WHO's SMART (Standards-based, Machine-readable, Adaptive, Requirements-based, and Testable) guidelines represent a significant advancement in this domain. This paper aims to summarize SMART guidelines authoring and implementation process, drawing on a comprehensive literature analysis. Our findings highlight critical success factors for national implementation, including stakeholder engagement, customization to local contexts, and leveraging international standards and digital technologies. We conclude with recommendations for countries aiming to implement WHO SMART guidelines, underscoring the need for a multi-disciplinary approach and the potential challenges to be navigated.

Keywords: CDSS; FHIR; guidelines; interoperability; public health informatics.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Digital Health
  • Digital Technology
  • Global Health
  • Humans
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Telemedicine
  • World Health Organization*