JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Several studies in health care have examined patients’ overall attitude toward digitalization as well as for specific use cases. However, these studies fail to provide a comparison of patient acceptance criteria between inherent different digital use cases in primary care.

Objective:

To address this research gap, this paper aims to assist family doctors in selecting digital use cases by comparing the underlying patient adoption factors and in driving usage of these use cases by elaborating a differentiated implementation approach.

Methods:

Following a rapid literature review on technology acceptance of selected digital use cases in health care, we adapted an established UTAUT questionnaire to four digital use cases in primary care. The results of the web-based survey were then analyzed via a hierarchical regression model to compare the effect of sociodemographic and technology acceptance factors on the intention to use a respective use case.

Results:

Our web-based survey with 1,880 included participants (2,156 fully answered questionnaires before data cleansing) showed that patients value the degree of digitalization of their family practice with lower importance. Additionally, we highlighted that patients have different technology acceptance factors per digital use case even though Performance Expectancy was the strongest predictor of intention to use for all use cases. Regarding sociodemographic characteristics, only digital literacy demonstrated a significant effect on intention to use for all use cases (for all use cases P<.001).

Conclusions:

Family doctors should carefully assess whether investments in digital use cases are adequate. In the selection and implementation of digital use cases, family doctors should always prioritize the perceived value of the digital use case to the patient while further criteria depend on the digital use case.