Digital Services in Pandemic Response: Lessons learned from Interviews with COVID-19 Patients and Healthcare...

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital health technologies, including telehealth, electronic medical records, and patient-facing applications. These tools maintained access to care during periods of restriction but exposed gaps in workforce readiness, patient trust, digital literacy, and equity. Despite widespread implementation, limited evidence exists on how patients and healthcare providers experienced this transition and how these experiences influenced digital health adoption.

To compare the experiences of patients and healthcare providers in XXXXXXXX during the pandemic, identify key barriers and enablers of digital health adoption, and inform sustainable models of care for future disruptions.

A qualitative study was conducted between March 2023 and September 2024. Semi-structured Zoom interviews were undertaken with 20 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and 21 healthcare providers involved in pandemic care in New South Wales and Victoria. Data was analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis and interpreted through the Technology Acceptance Model and Diffusion of Innovations framework to examine technology adoption, communication, and system preparedness.

Four themes captured patient and provider experiences. First, rapid digitization shifted healthcare-seeking behavior, with many patients delaying in-person care due to safety concerns. Second, providers reported limited readiness, increased digital workload, and workflow disruption. Third, differences in digital literacy and misaligned expectations undermined trust, communication, and diagnostic confidence in virtual settings. Finally, long-term sustainability requires hybrid models of care, interoperable infrastructure, and supportive governance. Overall, the findings highlight the dual nature of crisis-driven digital transformation: while innovation accelerated rapidly, systemic and relational vulnerabilities in care delivery were also exposed.

Digital care was essential for maintaining access during the pandemic; however, rapid deployment alone cannot ensure safety, equity, or quality of care. Sustainable integration requires coordinated investment in interoperable infrastructure, workforce capability, and patient-centered design to support hybrid delivery models and strengthen preparedness for future healthcare disruptions.