The strategic role of e-commerce in the supply chain of the healthcare industry

The health of a nation's population has a direct impact on economic growth and political stability. Effective and efficient management of healthcare resources is crucial to the global community. Innovative approaches to control costs, improve quality, and sustain a healthy workforce must be adopted. The application of e-commerce to the healthcare arena is one solution to educating, informing, and more efficiently utilising scarce resources to sustain the health of a nation. The article explores the application of e-commerce to the healthcare industry from the consumers' and providers' points of view. E-risks are discussed and the public and private responses to address these concerns are reviewed. E-health promises to improve efficiency, facilitate communication between physician and patient, monitor compliance with medical regimens, and positively impact on the quality of health services provided and the overall health of the patient.