Big Data Analytics in the Healthcare Sector: Opportunities and Challenges in Developing Countries. A Literature Review

Abstract Background: The availability of vast amounts of healthcare data, along with the advancements in big data analytics techniques, has led to an unprecedented opportunity for healthcare organizations to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Despite the ongoing digitization of healthcare sector in developing countries, the full adoption of big data analytics in healthcare and the effective realization of its potential benefits still need to be reached. Exploring opportunities and challenges encountered in implementing data analytics in healthcare in developing countries is essential for designing implementation strategies and interventions. Objective:Exploring opportunities and challenges towards integrating big data analytics technologies in the healthcare industry in developing countries. Methodology: A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar with the keywords "big data analytics", "big data analytics healthcare", "big data analytics healthcare developing countries", "healthcare data analytics", and "healthcare data analytics developing countries". Articles with predetermined keywords and written in English were included in the review. Results:Big data analytics finds its application in medical images analysis and imaging informatics, population health management, clinical informatics and bioinformatics, as decision support algorithms even in developing countries. The major challenges to the clinical adoption of big data analytics in healthcare in developing countries include the need for more evidence for its practical benefits, competing priorities, the lack of trained personnel for analyzing big healthcare data and the lack of substantial financial investment required. Conclusion:Integrating big data analytics in developing countries’ healthcare industry can potentially open new avenues for enhancing healthcare delivery. Despite the benefits big data analytics can have in the healthcare industry of developing countries, highlighted strategies should be implemented to address several challenges encountered towards using this technology.