Skip to main content

Reverse innovation in global health systems: learning from low-income countries

Edited by Viva Dadwal, Matthew Harris, and Shams Syed
Globalization and Health

© mthipsorn / Getty Images / iStockThe Reverse Innovation collection showcases effective healthcare innovation from low-income countries that have been, or have the potential to be, utilized in and be of benefit to health systems also in high-income countries and serves as a counterpart to a knowledge flow that has traditionally been characterised by unidirectionality of innovation and expertise. 

The collection seeks to promote, support and mainstream diffusion of healthcare innovation from low- to high-income countries through theoretical, empirical research and commentary articles that stimulate debate and explore the process, opportunities and challenges to Reverse Innovation. Submissions are being accepted for on-going publication.

  1. Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a major cause of neonatal mortality and disability in the United Kingdom (UK) and has significant human and financial costs. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH), which consis...

    Authors: Giulia Dallera, Mark Skopec, Cheryl Battersby, James Barlow and Matthew Harris
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2022 18:43
    Content type: Review Published on:

  2. In the UK, according to the 1967 Abortion Act, all abortions must be approved by two doctors, reported to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and be performed by doctors within licensed premises. ...

    Authors: Jacy Zhou, Rebecca Blaylock and Matthew Harris
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2020 16:91
    Content type: Research Published on:

  3. Following advances in industrial strategy and organizational behaviour, as well as post-development debates in international relations, Globalization and Health launched the Reverse Innovation series in 2012, ...

    Authors: Matthew Harris, Viva Dadwal and Shams B. Syed
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2020 16:26
    Content type: Commentary Published on:

  4. Reverse Innovation has been endorsed as a vehicle for promoting bidirectional learning and information flow between low- and middle-income countries and high-income countries, with the aim of tackling common u...

    Authors: Chidinma A. Ibe, Lopa Basu, Rachel Gooden, Shamsuzzoha B. Syed, Viva Dadwal, Lee R. Bone, Patti L. Ephraim, Christine M. Weston and Albert W. Wu
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2018 14:19
    Content type: Commentary Published on:

  5. With an increasing array of innovations and research emerging from low-income countries there is a growing recognition that even high-income countries could learn from these contexts. It is well known that the...

    Authors: Matthew Harris, James Macinko, Geronimo Jimenez and Pricila Mullachery
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2017 13:80
    Content type: Research Published on:

  6. While it is clear that hospitals in developing countries need to improve quality of health services and improve patient safety, hospitals in high resource countries need to do the same. Most often the focus on...

    Authors: Lopa Basu, Peter Pronovost, Nancy Edwards Molello, Shamsuzzoha B. Syed and Albert W. Wu
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2017 13:64
    Content type: Commentary Published on:

  7. International health partnerships (IHPs) are changing, with an increased emphasis on mutual accountability and joint agenda setting for both the high- and the low- or middle-income country (LMIC) partners. The...

    Authors: Kavian Kulasabanathan, Hamdi Issa, Yasser Bhatti, Matthew Prime, Jacqueline del Castillo, Ara Darzi and Matthew Harris
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2017 13:25
    Content type: Research Published on:

  8. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are developing novel approaches to healthcare that may be relevant to high-income countries (HICs). These include products, services, organizational processes, or polic...

    Authors: Onil Bhattacharyya, Diane Wu, Kathryn Mossman, Leigh Hayden, Pavan Gill, Yu-Ling Cheng, Abdallah Daar, Dilip Soman, Christina Synowiec, Andrea Taylor, Joseph Wong, Max von Zedtwitz, Stanley Zlotkin, William Mitchell and Anita McGahan
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2017 13:4
    Content type: Methodology Published on:

  9. There are significant differences in the meaning and use of the term ‘Reverse Innovation’ between industry circles, where the term originated, and health policy circles where the term has gained traction. It i...

    Authors: Matthew Harris, Emily Weisberger, Diana Silver, Viva Dadwal and James Macinko
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2016 12:36
    Content type: Research Published on:

  10. Country-of-origin of a product can negatively influence its rating, particularly if the product is from a low-income country. It follows that how non-traditional sources of innovation, such as low-income count...

    Authors: Matthew Harris, Emily Weisberger, Diana Silver and James Macinko
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2015 11:45
    Content type: Research Published on:

  12. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. As prevention and treatment of CVD often requires active screening and lifelong follow up it is a challenge for health sys...

    Authors: Steven van de Vijver, Samuel Oti, Eric Moll van Charante, Steven Allender, Charlie Foster, Joep Lange, Brian Oldenburg, Catherine Kyobutungi and Charles Agyemang
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2015 11:11
    Content type: Commentary Published on:

  13. Focus on “social determinants of health” provides a welcome alternative to the bio-medical illness paradigm. However, the tendency to concentrate on the influence of “risk factors” related to living and worki...

    Authors: Jerry M Spiegel, Jaime Breilh and Annalee Yassi
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2015 11:9
    Content type: Debate Published on:

  14. Canada, when compared to other OECD countries, ranks poorly with respect to innovation and innovation adoption while struggling with increasing health system costs. As a result of its failure to innovate, the ...

    Authors: Anne W Snowdon, Harpreet Bassi, Andrew D Scarffe and Alexander D Smith
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2015 11:2
    Content type: Research Published on:

  15. The positive impact of global health activities by volunteers from the United States in low-and middle-income countries has been recognized. Most existing global health partnerships evaluate what knowledge, id...

    Authors: Heidi Busse, Ephrem A Aboneh and Girma Tefera
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2014 10:64
    Content type: Research Published on:

  17. Person-centered care involves keeping the person at the center of the care planning and decision-making process. While the theory behind person-centered care is commonly shared, its application in healthcare s...

    Authors: Lopa Basu, Ruben Frescas Jr and Humphrey Kiwelu
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2014 10:33
    Content type: Commentary Published on:

  18. There is a clear and evident need for mutual learning in global health systems. It is increasingly recognized that innovation needs to be sourced globally and that we need to think in terms of co-development a...

    Authors: Nigel Crisp
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2014 10:14
    Content type: Debate Published on:

  19. Limited resources in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) drive tremendous innovation in medicine, as well as in other fields. It is not often recognized that several important surgical tools and methods, ...

    Authors: Michael Cotton, Jaymie Ang Henry and Lauren Hasek
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2014 10:1
    Content type: Commentary Published on:

  21. ‘Reverse innovation,’ a principle well established in the business world, describes the flow of ideas from emerging to more developed economies. There is strong and growing interest in applying this concept to...

    Authors: Jacqueline W DePasse and Patrick T Lee
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2013 9:40
    Content type: Debate Published on:

  23. Health partnerships between institutions in the UK and Low or Lower- middle Income Countries are an increasingly important model of development, yet analysis of partnerships has focused on benefits and costs t...

    Authors: Felicity AE Jones, Daniel PH Knights, Vita FE Sinclair and Paula Baraitser
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2013 9:38
    Content type: Research Published on:

  24. The notion of “reverse innovation”--that some insights from low-income countries might offer transferable lessons for wealthier contexts--is increasingly common in the global health and business strategy liter...

    Authors: Agnes Binagwaho, Cameron T Nutt, Vincent Mutabazi, Corine Karema, Sabin Nsanzimana, Michel Gasana, Peter C Drobac, Michael L Rich, Parfait Uwaliraye, Jean Pierre Nyemazi, Michael R Murphy, Claire M Wagner, Andrew Makaka, Hinda Ruton, Gita N Mody, Danielle R Zurovcik…
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2013 9:37
    Content type: Commentary Published on:

  26. The body of research and practice regarding student volunteer abroad experiences largely focuses on ensuring the optimal learning experience for the student from the Global North, without equivalent attention ...

    Authors: Brian DO Ouma and Helen Dimaras
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2013 9:32
    Content type: Debate Published on:

  27. Health policymakers in many countries are looking at ways of increasing health care coverage by scaling up the deployment of community health workers. In this commentary, we describe the rationale for the UK t...

    Authors: Christopher David Johnson, Jane Noyes, Andy Haines, Kathrin Thomas, Chris Stockport, Antonio Neves Ribas and Matthew Harris
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2013 9:25
    Content type: Commentary Published on: