Department of Management Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy.
Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
PLoS One. 2024 May 10;19(5):e0303302. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303302. eCollection 2024.
National healthcare systems face multiple challenges, including the increasing demand for care and decreasing availability of healthcare professionals. Digital health technologies represent opportunities that offer improved efficiency, accessibility, and patient care. In this scenario, Digital Therapeutics are technological advancements to treat or alleviate a disease and deliver a medical intervention with evidence-based therapeutic impacts and regulatory approval. Digital Therapeutics are a paradigm shift for physicians, who exercise caution in terms of trust and wide usage. Digital Therapeutics represents an opportunity and a challenge in healthcare system integration. The research investigates the factors explaining physicians' acceptance of Digital Therapeutics. A research model that combines organizational mechanisms derived from Institutional Theory and rational factors derived from the Technology Acceptance model was developed. The model was tested through 107 responses from a survey distributed to the members of the leading Italian scientific society in Diabetology. Literature-based hypotheses were empirically tested through Structural Equation Modelling. The analysis confirmed the influence of Perceived Ease of Use on Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Usefulness on the Intention To Use Digital Therapeutics. Rules and norms impact Perceived Usefulness when considering the influence of the scientific society. Culture and mindset towards innovation within the hospital positively affect Perceived Ease of Use. The readiness of hospital facilities enhances the extent to which physicians perceive the ease of employing Digital Therapeutics in their daily practice. Instead, esteemed colleagues' opinions and guidelines from the scientific society reveal to physicians the value of Digital Therapeutics in patients' care pathways. Institutions should prioritize cultural, normative, and regulative aspects to accelerate physicians' endorsement of Digital Therapeutics. Findings advance the theoretical knowledge around clinicians' adoption of innovative digital health technologies, unveiling the interaction between rational and institutional factors. The results highlight practical implications for healthcare institutions and Digital Therapeutics manufacturers willing to promote their adoption.
国家医疗体系面临着多重挑战，包括医疗需求的不断增长和医疗专业人员的日益短缺。数字健康技术提供了机会，可以提高效率、可及性和患者护理水平。在这种情况下，数字疗法是一种治疗或缓解疾病的技术进步，可以提供基于证据的治疗效果，并获得监管批准。数字疗法是医生治疗模式的重大转变，他们在信任和广泛使用方面持谨慎态度。数字疗法是医疗系统整合中的机遇和挑战。本研究旨在探讨解释医生接受数字疗法的因素。研究结合了制度理论中的组织机制和技术接受模型中的理性因素，构建了一个研究模型。该模型通过向意大利领先的糖尿病科学协会成员分发的调查中的 107 个回复进行了测试。通过结构方程模型对基于文献的假设进行了实证检验。分析结果证实了感知易用性对感知有用性和感知有用性对使用数字疗法的意图的影响。在考虑科学协会的影响时，规则和规范会影响感知有用性。医院内部对创新的文化和思维方式会影响感知易用性。医院设施的准备程度会增强医生在日常实践中使用数字疗法的便利性。相反，受人尊敬的同事的意见和科学协会的指南向医生展示了数字疗法在患者护理路径中的价值。医疗机构应优先考虑文化、规范和监管方面的因素，以加速医生对数字疗法的认可。研究结果推进了围绕临床医生采用创新数字健康技术的理论知识，揭示了理性和制度因素之间的相互作用。研究结果为希望促进数字疗法采用的医疗机构和数字疗法制造商提供了实际启示。
