How Consumers and Physicians View New Medical Technology: Comparative Survey

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Medical Technology Adoption
• Healthcare Innovation

Background:

• The digital revolution is introducing new medical technologies into clinical practice.
• Emerging tools include smartphones, genetic testing, and patient-accessible electronic health records.
• Understanding attitudes towards these technologies is crucial for successful integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess health care professional and consumer attitudes toward new medical technologies.
• To compare viewpoints on specific technologies like smartphones and genetic testing.
• To evaluate concerns regarding privacy and patient-accessible electronic health records.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted with 1406 health care providers and 1102 consumers.
• Attitudes towards new medical technologies were collected.
• Statistical analysis was performed to compare provider and consumer responses.

Main Results:

• Consumers were more likely than providers to prefer new technologies for medical diagnosis (39.66% vs 13.80%).
• Providers expressed more unease about technology for diagnosis (27.95% vs 15.88%).
• Both groups supported genetic testing, but providers showed higher support for prenatal use (87.77% vs 73.14%).
• Providers raised concerns about patient anxiety and unnecessary evaluations from accessing health records, unlike consumers.
• Physicians showed less concern about technology for diagnosis than medical students.

Conclusions:

• Significant differences exist between consumers and health professionals regarding emerging medical technologies.
• Consumers generally exhibit greater enthusiasm and support for these advancements.
• Addressing these differing views is key for the effective implementation of digital health tools.