Negative Perceptions of Speech Recognition Technology in Canadian Paramedicine

Health information technology implementations are challenging and costly projects that face numerous barriers to success. One such barrier is the negative attitudes of users towards the specific technology. Understanding the various categories of negative attitudes could help develop implementation strategies. The negative attitudes of paramedics toward speech recognition technology were identified in a survey and semi-structured interviews. Five themes emerged from the analysis: previous poor implementation/adaptions, technology being a crutch, too much technology, personal technology exposure, and non-beneficial technology. Introducing technology to paramedics during education and demonstrating usefulness can alleviate some negative attitudes. Future research opportunities are discussed.