Presentation
Evaluating Healthcare Providers' Perceptions of the Value of Digital Technology in Supporting Healthcare Practices and Patient Wellness
13th International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences
(2018)
Abstract
ntroduction: This study presents healthcare providers' perspectives on the role of digital technology in promoting health for low-resource communities. Methods: One focus group and a key informant interview lasting sixty minutes were conducted. Respondents were medical doctors, behavioral health specialists, medical assistants, nurse practitioners and clinical social workers operating in community health centers serving low-resource communities in the state of Washington. Three main topics evaluated were: (1) role of mobile health tools in supporting health, (2) perceived barriers to incorporating patient health information from mobile devices into workflow, and (3) identification of information to support working with increasingly digitally-savvy patients. Responses were tape-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for common themes; respondents were offered $75 for participation. Results: Healthcare providers (HCPs) see benefits of mobile technology to promote patients' health, including increasing patient-centered care, improving data collection accuracy and enhancing treatment delivery. Though perceiving value of digital healthcare tools, the reported perceived barriers include patient-level economic and cultural barriers as well as institutional/healthcare system-level barriers. Finally, HCPs identified content in a clinical practice guide that can facilitate working with digitally-engaged patients, and such content include evidence-based mobile devices, clearly presented and accessible health information, and direction for working with diverse patient groups. Conclusion: HCPs perceive value of digital healthcare tools in promoting healthcare; they remain cautious due to perceived barriers to implementing digital healthcare data into existing healthcare practices. However, HCPs have identified specific support necessary for recommending mobile technologies to their patients.
Keywords
- healthcare providers,
- health information technology
Disciplines
Publication Date
Summer July, 2018
Location
Granada, Spain
Citation Information
Sharon Laing. "Evaluating Healthcare Providers' Perceptions of the Value of Digital Technology in Supporting Healthcare Practices and Patient Wellness" 13th International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences (2018) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/sharon-laing/25/
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons CC_BY International License.