Patients' Experiences With Digitalization in the Health Care System: Qualitative Interview Study

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Digital Health
• Patient Experience

Background:

• Global digitalization is transforming health systems, increasing the use of digital health services.
• Digitalization in Denmark aims for universal access but risks health inequities for disadvantaged citizens.
• Understanding patient digital practices and experiences is crucial for equitable digital health implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• Examine patient digital practices and experiences with public digital health services and tools.
• Investigate how patients utilize digital health services and their overall perceptions.
• Address the impact of digitalization on health equity within the neurology field.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative design employing a hermeneutic approach.
• Conducted 31 semistructured interviews with neurology patients in Denmark.
• Analyzed transcribed interviews using manifest content analysis.

Main Results:

• Identified four key categories: social resources, capabilities, emotional factors, and life without digital tools.
• Positive experiences with digital health tools depend on social support, necessary capabilities (physical, cognitive, communicative), and feeling secure.
• Patients lacking these prerequisites faced challenges and felt excluded.

Conclusions:

• Digital health engagement is complex, requiring social network assistance for many patients.
• Digital health services can be exclusionary and cause concern if prerequisites are unmet.
• Addressing digital health literacy gaps and providing flexible solutions is vital to prevent health inequities.