The data are collected by the World Health Organization (WHO) annually and show solid and linear growth over the period 2003-2013. The growth of the number of connected institutions has grown an impressive 600 per cent from an original baseline in 2003 of 792 connected institutions to 5 584 at the end of 2013. The monitoring of the adoption of eHealth strategies is proposed as another data source. An eHealth strategy can be a good indication of a government's view of the importance of eHealth and the role it will play in strengthening the health sector, including the building of connectivity. The WHO Global Observatory for eHealth reports that the number of countries with eHealth strategies is showing a steady rise. In 2009, 55 countries indicated that they had eHealth strategies and in 2013 this number had grown to 85.