THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL HEALTH SERVICES ON PRIMARY HEALTHCARE SYSTEM MANAGEMENT IN ISRAEL: HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS' PERSPECTIVES ON EFFECTIVENESS, EFFICIENCY, AND EQUITY
Abstract
The rapid development of digital health care services has changed the processes for the provision and management of primary health care worldwide. The use of digital communication technologies, such as telephone conversations, patient portals, web-based administration services, and telemedicine, has increased access and efficiency. Nevertheless, the potential effects of those changes on the effectiveness of the services provided, the workload of healthcare professionals, patient safety, and the equity of healthcare services remain issues to be considered. Although there is evidence of the extensive use of new technologies by healthcare providers, few studies have addressed those issues from the viewpoint of healthcare professionals. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the influence of digital health care services on the management of the healthcare system in Israeli primary care clinics through the three dimensions of effectiveness, efficiency, and equity. In order to achieve this goal, semi-structured interviews will be held with 30 healthcare professionals who regularly use digital communication technologies in their work, including doctors and administrators.
The results demonstrate that digital health services greatly enhance the accessibility of services, administrative efficiency, and communication between patients and healthcare providers. At the same time, the participants of the research also pointed out the presence of many difficulties, such as increased burden of work, inappropriate use of communication channels for consultation purposes, diagnostic ambiguity due to the lack of physical examination and increasing disparity between people who have poor technological skills or access to technology. Participants highlighted that the successful introduction of digital healthcare requires the development of clinical guidelines, training programs and the proper balance between digital and face-to-face consultations. The study makes a valuable contribution to the literature on digital health and represents an integrated assessment of healthcare system performance on the basis of three criteria - effectiveness, efficiency, and equity. The results of the study provide valuable recommendations for those who are interested in developing safer, efficient and equitable digital healthcare systems.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejphs.v9i2.267
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