Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Aug 14, 2019
Date Accepted: Oct 20, 2019
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Medical Doctors’ and Patients’ Attitudes toward the Use of Blockchain Technology in the Management of Medical Information: A Study Based on Expectancy Theory
ABSTRACT
Background:
The recently developed blockchain technology uses a peer-to-peer network to distribute data to all participants for storage. This method enhances data safety, reliability, integrity, and transparency. To successfully introduce blockchain technology to medical data management, it is essential to obtain consent from medical doctors and patients.
Objective:
Attempted to examine medical doctors’ and patients’ attitudes toward the use of blockchain technology and interpret the findings within the framework of expectancy theory.
Methods:
In the present questionnaire survey, we examined medical doctors’ (n = 90) and patients’ (n = 90) attitudes toward the use of blockchain technology in the management and distribution of medical information. The questionnaire consisted of 8 questions that assessed attitudes toward new means of managing and distributing medical information using blockchain technology. Responses were rated on a scale that ranged from 1 (“very negative”) to 7 (“very positive”).
Results:
Medical doctors (M = 3.7–5.0) reported significantly more negative attitudes than patients (M = 6.3–6.8). Further, self-employed doctors reported more negative attitudes than employed doctors and university professors.
Conclusions:
To successfully introduce blockchain technology to medical data management, it is necessary to promote positive attitudes toward this technology among medical doctors, especially self-employed doctors.
Citation
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