Digital maturity and its determinants in General Practice: A cross-sectional study in 20 countries

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Informatics
• Digital Health Transformation
• Primary Care Technology Adoption

Background:

• Digital maturity, the adoption of digital technologies for high-quality healthcare, requires both individual and systemic engagement.
• Digital maturity in primary care settings remains under-evaluated despite its importance for healthcare transformation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the global digital maturity within General Practice (GP).
• To investigate associations between digital maturity and demographic, practice, and Electronic Health Records (EHRs) usage characteristics.

Main Methods:

• A global online questionnaire survey of 1600 GPs across 20 countries conducted between June and September 2020.
• Digital maturity was evaluated using a framework assessing usage, resources, abilities, interoperability, evaluation methods, and impact, with scores ranging from 0 to 6.
• Multivariable regression models were employed to analyze the total digital maturity score and the likelihood of achieving each dimension.

Main Results:

• The median digital maturity score was 4. Positive associations were observed with male gender, longer EHR use duration, and higher EHR access frequency.
• Rural practice settings were negatively associated with digital maturity.
• Usage was the most recognized dimension (90%), while interoperability (47%) and best practice evaluation methods (28%) were least acknowledged.

Conclusions:

• Significant factors influencing digital maturity in General Practice were identified, highlighting disparities in digital transformation.
• Findings offer insights for policymakers to create targeted interventions to accelerate digital transformation in primary care.