The objective of this paper is four-fold: firstly, to provide a common ‘language’ for categorising and discussing health information systems, particularly those in developing countries; secondly, to summarise the potential benefits and opportunities offered by the use of ICT in health; thirdly, to discuss the critical factors resulting in ICT success or failure, with an emphasis on the differences between developed and developing countries; and fourthly, to introduce evaluation frameworks and models used in developed countries to assess the plausibility of ICT projects in health. Overall, this paper aims to illuminate the potential role of information and communication technologies in health, specifically for Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs).