What is digital health, eHealth, uHealth and Healthcare 4.0?

As digital health continues to evolve, the need for ongoing refinement of its terminology remains essential. A perspective piece originated from the authors' attempt to answer the seemingly simple question, "What is digital health?" Defining the term proved unexpectedly challenging, as a review of the literature revealed numerous scholars highlighting the difficulty of establishing clear and consistent definitions. After examining past research where digital health has been defined, this perspective piece provides a revised definition that integrates key related concepts, including eHealth, uHealth, mHealth, and Healthcare 4.0. A contemporary framework for understanding digital health is proposed through understanding four key subdomains: (1) how healthcare is delivered through eHealth which includes mHealth, telehealth, and uHealth; (2) how digital health products are regulated which includes digital wellness and therapeutic solutions; (3) how society, industry, and clinical care are impacted which can be understood through the lens of Healthcare 4.0; and (4) how data is utilized through health informatics. • Despite the rapid expansion of digital health, a lack of consensus on terminology remains. • Digital health as a term includes considering healthcare delivery through technology, product regulation, societal impact, and data use. • eHealth is an umbrella term including computer-based, mobile (mHealth), remote (telehealth), and anytime and anywhere health through Ubiquitous health (uHealth).

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Informatics and Health
Published
2025-07-18
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infoh.2025.06.002
Citations
3
Primary Topic
Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
8.45
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

What is digital health, eHealth, uHealth and Healthcare 4.0?

Andrea Mangion, Neil Piller
3 citations
Informatics and Health
Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
8.45
article

What is digital health, eHealth, uHealth and Healthcare 4.0?

Andrea Mangion, Neil Piller
article en
3 citations

Abstract

As digital health continues to evolve, the need for ongoing refinement of its terminology remains essential. A perspective piece originated from the authors' attempt to answer the seemingly simple question, "What is digital health?" Defining the term proved unexpectedly challenging, as a review of the literature revealed numerous scholars highlighting the difficulty of establishing clear and consistent definitions. After examining past research where digital health has been defined, this perspective piece provides a revised definition that integrates key related concepts, including eHealth, uHealth, mHealth, and Healthcare 4.0. A contemporary framework for understanding digital health is proposed through understanding four key subdomains: (1) how healthcare is delivered through eHealth which includes mHealth, telehealth, and uHealth; (2) how digital health products are regulated which includes digital wellness and therapeutic solutions; (3) how society, industry, and clinical care are impacted which can be understood through the lens of Healthcare 4.0; and (4) how data is utilized through health informatics. • Despite the rapid expansion of digital health, a lack of consensus on terminology remains. • Digital health as a term includes considering healthcare delivery through technology, product regulation, societal impact, and data use. • eHealth is an umbrella term including computer-based, mobile (mHealth), remote (telehealth), and anytime and anywhere health through Ubiquitous health (uHealth).

Informatics and HealthVol. 2(2)
Flinders University (AU)
Openalex Percentile: Top 3%
Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
8.45
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.