Understanding physician acceptance of mobile technology: insights from two telephone interviews in Finland

This paper sets out to investigate physicians' perceptions and usage regarding a new mobile medical information system in a pilot trial in the Finnish healthcare sector. Two sets of data were gathered in June and October 2003 by telephone interviews. The physicians interviewed had positive perceptions of the mobile system, and started to use it frequently in their work. They showed few negative experiences of using a Nokia Communicator. They favoured using mobile technology as a way to improve spreading medical knowledge. The main contents of the system, the Evidence-Based Medical Guidelines and the Pharmaca Fennica (the pharmacopoeia), were crucial for using the system. Some differences in physicians' behaviour across time were also found. Implications for system improvement are discussed.