Abstract
The global COVID-19 pandemic dominated 2020 and caused severe and long-lasting impacts for the world with far-reaching implications, the full extent of which is yet to be understood. The analysis of policy responses to COVID-19 between March 2020 and August 2020 comparing Australia and US healthcare policy structures and the use of information technology in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic provides some key lessons of what to do and what to avoid in trying to manage a global pandemic. Key areas of focus include being prepared and ready, timeliness of responsiveness, ability to flatten the curve, level of education/advice and its dissemination. Based on this analysis, a set of guidelines for how best we can be more prepared and ready to support key needs around such pandemics using technological tools is presented so that we can learn from this global crisis. It is clear from this analysis that digital health solutions, most especially in the form of contact tracing and telehealth, have played a pivotal role in trying to facilitate a strong response to bring COVID-19 under control.