Healthcare Professionals' Interactions with Families of Hospitalized Patients Through Information Technologies:...

Background/Objectives: The integration of Information Technologies has transformed interactions between healthcare professionals and the families of hospitalized patients, enabling more comprehensive, transparent, and patient-centered care. Artificial Intelligence is emerging as a transformative tool to further enhance these interactions; however, its implementation faces challenges associated with access to and availability of basic technological infrastructure. Methods: This cross-sectional pilot study, conducted at the Tamaulipas Children's Hospital, Mexico, included 51 healthcare professionals from diverse specialties. It examined the use of digital technologies and perceptions of information systems aimed at optimizing communication with families. Results: Findings indicated that 58.8% reported consistent use of digital devices, whereas only 41.2% had regular internet access. Between 60.0% and 67.0% consistently provided information regarding patients' health status, treatments, and medical procedures. With respect to a digital system, 37.3% considered its implementation necessary and 39.2% perceived potential benefits, although functions such as multimedia sharing and automated notifications were regarded with caution. The questionnaire demonstrated high reliability (α = 0.835) and acceptable construct validity (KMO = 0.705; Bartlett's test p < 0.001). Conclusions: Preliminary results suggest that the integration of AI-based digital systems in hospital settings remains conditional. They also highlight the need to ensure equitable access to technological infrastructure as a prerequisite for achieving sustainable adoption.