Willingness to Use Digital Health Tools in Patient Care Among Health Care Professionals and Students at a University Hospital in Saudi Arabia: Quantitative Cross-sectional Survey

Abstract

Background The adoption rate of digital health in the health care sector is low in many countries. A facilitating factor for successful implementation and adoption of digital health is acceptance by current and future health care professionals. Objective This study was conducted to identify factors associated with willingness to use digital health tools in patient care among health care professionals and students. Methods This was a quantitative cross-sectional survey study conducted among health care professionals and students at a university hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A nonprobability convenience sampling procedure was used to recruit participants. Data were collected using a self-completed e-questionnaire that was distributed by email. Chi-square tests, t tests, and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results We found that 181 out of 218 health care professionals (83.0%; 75.6% [59/78] physicians; 87.1% [122/140] nurses) and 115 out of 154 students (74.7%; 80.0% [76/95] medical students and 66.1% [39/59] nursing students) were willing to use digital tools in patient care. Willingness to use digital tools was significantly associated with attitude (Adjusted Odds Ratios [AOR] 1.96; 95% CI 1.14-3.36) and self-efficacy (AOR 1.64; 95% CI 1.17-2.30) among health care professionals, and with current year of study (AOR 2.08; 95% CI 1.18-3.68) and self-efficacy (AOR 1.77; 95% CI 1.17-2.69) among students. No significant difference in willingness to use digital tools was found between physicians and nurses (P=.113), and between medical and nursing students (P=.079). Conclusions The findings of this study should encourage policy makers and hospital managers to implement relevant eHealth interventions within routine health care systems in Saudi Arabia. For successful implementation, digital health education programs should be implemented simultaneously, so that current and future health care professionals are able to develop required positive attitudes as well as practical skills and competencies.

Willingness to use telemedicine during COVID-19 among health professionals in a low income country

“…For the growing utility and complexity of telemedicine, medical education curricula that integrate telemedicine training concepts early during medical training may help to increase trainees' familiarity with telemedicine systems in the future. This result was consistent with study conducted in USA [ 5 ], Ethiopia [ 25 ], Saudi Arabia [ 26 ] and China [ 21 ].…”

Awareness, Views, Perceptions, and Beliefs of Pharmacy Interns Regarding Digital Health in Saudi Arabia: Cross-sectional Study

“…However, 31% (21/68) of interns agreed or strongly agreed that digital health requires more mental effort, and 46% (31/68) believed that telehealth could increase their workload. The findings related to the complexity of telehealth use in this study are consistent with the findings reported in previous studies [ 21 , 30 ]. A study conducted in Saudi Arabia by Thapa et al [ 30 ] reported that students perceived that the use of eHealth would increase work-related stress and could delay responses to patients’ needs.…”

“…The findings related to the complexity of telehealth use in this study are consistent with the findings reported in previous studies [ 21 , 30 ]. A study conducted in Saudi Arabia by Thapa et al [ 30 ] reported that students perceived that the use of eHealth would increase work-related stress and could delay responses to patients’ needs. In addition, this study found that more than half of the interns 54% (37/68) believed that telehealth might threaten the information privacy of patients, compared with 66% reported by Birukand Abetu [ 21 ].…”

“…In addition, 75% (51/68) of respondents believed that telemedicine reduces the need for physical visits, compared with 76.2% of respondents in the Ethiopian study [ 23 ]. Approximately 69% (47/68) of interns believed that telehealth apps help improve patient adherence to treatment, which is comparable with the findings of a study conducted among health care professionals and medical students in Saudi Arabia that reported that patient adherence might be improved with the help of technology [ 30 ]. A total of 65% (44/68) of interns agreed or strongly agreed that telehealth apps are convenient and can overcome the inconvenience of attending physicians or pharmacists, which is comparable with the 65.2% reported by Peprah et al [ 31 ] among university students.…”

The Impact of Information and Communication Technology on Doctors’ and Registered Nurses’ Working Conditions and Clinical Work – A Cross-Sectional Study in a Norwegian Hospital

“…Previous studies have for example found that attitude toward ICT and contextual factors are important and could provide further insights when integrating ICT in clinical work. 40–42 …”