Attitude of doctors and patients of the central district hospital to using digital health technologies (based on the results of a medical and sociological study)

Abstract

Objective: to study the attitude of doctors and patients of the central district hospital to the use of digital medicine technologies. Material and methods. The study was conducted by a questionnaire survey. 43 doctors and 213 patients of the central district hospital were asked to assess the possibilities of digital tools in solving health problems, the degree of use of Internet platforms in the process of doctor-patient interaction, the level of influence of the Internet on patients' adherence to doctor's recommendations. Results. Only 14.0% of doctors and 5.2% of patients believe that digital technologies can help solve the problem of staff shortage. Currently, 65.1 % of doctors and 23.9% of patients use digital technologies in communication in the doctor-patient system. 55.8% of doctors stated the desire of patients to get information about treatment in Internet sources, but 97.7% of patients trust doctors more than recommendations on the Internet. Among the possible ways of using digital technologies in medicine, patients see the design of referrals (61.0%), prescriptions (50.2%), temporary disability sheets, certificates (29.6%). Conclusions. Most representatives of both the medical community and patients do not see digital technologies as a way to radically solve the problems of personnel shortage in rural areas: only 32.6% of doctors and 19.7% of patients consider it possible to increase the availability of medical care through telemedicine, only 23% of patients considered remote consultations to be in demand. First of all, the prospects of digitalization of healthcare, according to patients, are associated with the optimization of the issuance of documents in the provision of medical care.