Patient Perceptions and Sustainable Healthcare: Understanding Digital Anxiety in Turbulent Economic Environment

Abstract

In the healthcare sector, organizations are actively preparing for the challenges and changes associated with a turbulent economic environment. Technological revolutions such as Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 are expected to bring trends that will fundamentally change the way healthcare works, like the use of communication tools for patients and medical teams. Many studies show that developments in healthcare are influenced by digital transformation. Innovations are primarily focusing on prevention, early diagnosis, and improvement of quality of life and health. Technologies, such as the use of artificial intelligence, telemedicine, smart devices, and robotics, will simplify and speed up processes and services in healthcare. In the context of evolving healthcare landscapes and the increasing integration of digital technologies, our research investigates patient perceptions and concerns. Through a comprehensive study, we discovered a noteworthy trend: patients exhibit a statistically significant fear of digital healthcare, surpassing levels of distrust or perceived ineffectiveness. This finding prompts a critical inquiry into the underlying reasons behind this fear and seeks to understand how healthcare organizations can effectively address these concerns for sustainable adoption amid a turbulent economic environment. To collect the data, we used a questionnaire survey, that was performed on 437 patients from Slovak Republic.