The attitude of the patients of a multidisciplinary hospital to the processes of digitalization in modern healthcare: A cross-sectional continuous study

BACKGROUND: This article is devoted to the impact of the digitalization of modern healthcare on the nature of relationships between a doctor and a patient.

AIM: To assess the level of readiness of the patients in the city hospital for the introduction of digital technologies in the system of providing medical services.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was based on the results of a questionnaire survey of 154 patients in city hospitals in July–August 2022 in Nizhny Novgorod. The survey questions included studying the use by modern day patients of various methods of digital communication with medical workers, the impact of the availability of medical information on the internet on the level of patients’ trust on a doctor, and patients’ opinions about the prospects for solving problems of modern healthcare through digitalization.

RESULTS: The results of the survey revealed that 104 (67.5%) patients do not use digital communications, and 94 (61%) have no intention of using them. Among the prospects for the use of digital technologies in healthcare, the most popular for respondents were getting referrals for medical services (n=83, 53.9%), a prescription (n=57, 37%), and documents certifying temporary disability (n=43, 27, 9%). Only 8 (5.2%) respondents systematically check the diagnoses and prescriptions received from the attending physician on the internet and 25 (16.2%) do this from time to time. Only 2 (1.3%) respondents stated that they have a priority level of trust in recommendations from internet sources, and the rest of the patients trust their real attending physicians more.

CONCLUSION: A modern patient seeks to receive medical care in real contact with a doctor, considering digital technologies mainly as a tool that addresses formal issues that arise when visiting medical organizations.