Health and care personnel perceptions of benefits and barriers in health and welfare technology use

Abstract Background The expectations towards the possibilities of health and welfare technology (HWT) to address future health and care service challenges are high. To meet these expectations in a sustainable manner, it is crucial to enhance user-centred understanding of the health and care transition. The aim of this study is to examine how professional users, i.e. health and care personnel perceive the benefits and barriers in HWT use. This study reports preliminary results within the UPSCALE project, which is part of the THCS co-fund partnership. Methods Four case studies were conducted in Finland, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands, representing digital pathways in pregnancy care, needs-driven outpatient follow-up by use of digital forms and chat, remote services in home care, and telemedicine application for kidney transplant patients. Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews with health and care personnel and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. A variety of health care professionals from doctors and nurses to managers and mercantile personnel were interviewed. Results According to the preliminary results, the benefits include real-time information provision for patients and across care units, improved guidance, increased commitment to care processes, reduced unnecessary hospital trips, continuous care enhancing patient safety and increased resources to help more patients. The barriers include technical issues during introduction and use, staff/patient attitudes and skills, difficulty in providing individualized care through technology (e.g. cultural adaptations), poor integration of digital services, and increased administration. Conclusions We conclude that personnel perceptions of the benefits and barriers in HWT use encompass multifaceted knowledge, including both social and technical factors. This user knowledge and addressing both the benefits and barriers is crucial for the sustainable transition of health and care services. Key messages • Personnel perceptions of the benefits and barriers of HWT use encompass central knowledge that includes both technical and social perspectives. • User knowledge of the benefits and barriers of HWT use is pivotal in addressing the challenges of health and care services transition in a sustainable manner.