Industry 4.0 Technologies: Bridging the Gap in Health Information Practices

Abstract

Health systems depend on information: to diagnose and treat patients, to plan services, to monitor diseases and to make policy. Yet in many developing countries, including Nigeria, health information practices remain weak. Records are largely paper-based and fragmented, data are often incomplete, late and of poor quality, facilities cannot share information easily, rural communities have limited access to reliable health information, and the data collected are under-used for decision-making. At the same time, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0, has produced a set of converging technologies, including artificial intelligence, the Internet of Medical Things, cloud computing, big data analytics, blockchain, mobile health and digital twins, that are transforming how information is created, stored, shared and used. This conceptual paper examines how these technologies can bridge the gaps in health information practices. It clarifies the concepts of Industry 4.0 and health information practices, identifies the major gaps in the Nigerian context, and maps each technology to the gaps it can address. Drawing on the Technology–Organisation–Environment framework, it proposes a conceptual model in which Industry 4.0 technologies bridge health information gaps to produce improved health information outcomes, provided that enabling conditions such as infrastructure, skills, standards, data protection and ethical governance are in place. The paper discusses the challenges of adoption, highlights the central role of health information professionals and librarians, and recommends practical strategies for government, health institutions, training institutions and professionals.