Iran University of Medical Sciences | Iran
Dr. Haleh Ayatollahi is a distinguished Professor of Medical Informatics at the Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), widely recognized for her leadership in digital health, telemedicine, and health information systems. She holds a PhD in Health Informatics from the University of Sheffield, UK, and has a strong academic foundation in medical records and health information management through an Associate Degree, B.Sc., and M.Sc. from IUMS. Over the course of her academic career, she has built an impactful research portfolio with 105 scholarly publications, 5,546 citations, and an h–index of 21, reflecting her significant influence on the field of health informatics both nationally and internationally. Her research focuses on technology-enabled healthcare transformation, digital health adoption, telemedicine implementation, user experience evaluation, and data-driven approaches to improving healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. Prof. Ayatollahi currently serves as the Director of the Deputy of Research and Technology at both the School of Health Management and Info Sciences and the Health Management and Economics Research Centre at IUMS, where she plays a key role in shaping research strategies, fostering innovation, strengthening scientific collaborations, and advancing the university’s digital health research capacity. She is also a Member of the Medical Informatics Evaluation and Examination Board, contributing to curriculum development, academic standards, and capacity-building in medical informatics education across Iran. Her professional journey includes valuable academic and administrative roles, including serving as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Sheffield, a University Lecturer at Kashan University of Medical Sciences, and Postgraduate and Education Office Administrator at IUMS. She continues to supervise postgraduate research, publish in high-impact journals, and lead projects focused on health information systems, digital health literacy, and sustainable technology adoption in healthcare, making her one of the leading voices in shaping the future of health informatics in the region.
Featured Publications
Mirasghari, F., Ayatollahi, H., & Velayati, F. (2025). Users’ perspectives about challenges of using telemedicine for patients with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital Health, 11, 20552076251325969.
Toni, E., Toni, E., Fereidooni, M., & Ayatollahi, H. (2024). Acceptance and use of extended reality in surgical training: An umbrella review. Systematic Reviews, 13, 299.
GBD 2021 Forecasting Collaborators. (2024). Burden of disease scenarios for 204 countries and territories, 2022–2050: A forecasting analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. The Lancet, 403(10428), 2204–2256.
Fereidooni, M., Toni, E., Toni, E., & Ayatollahi, H. (2024). Application of virtual reality for supportive care in cancer patients: A systematic review. Supportive Care in Cancer, 32, 570.
Eslami Jahromi, M., & Ayatollahi, H. (2023). Utilization of telehealth to manage the COVID-19 pandemic in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 30(4), 738–751.
Ayatollahi, H., Gholamhosseini, L., & Salehi, M. (2019). Predicting coronary artery disease: A comparison between two data mining algorithms. BMC Public Health, 19, 448.