Šteinmiller Jekaterina, Ross Peeter
Department of Healthcare Technologies, School of IT, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia.
Digit Health. 2024 Sep 5;10:20552076241271816. doi: 10.1177/20552076241271816. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec.
The aim of the study is to describe the user experiences of a nationwide digital decision support system (DDSS).
DDSSs have the potential to improve the quality and safety of healthcare services by supporting clinical decision-making with evidence-based recommendations. Due to a lack of knowledge, it is difficult to assess whether DDSSs are fulfilling their purpose. In Estonia, a nationwide DDSS for general practitioners (GPs) was implemented in 2020. To understand the impact of DDSS on the quality of care in the Estonian context and meet the demands of healthcare, it is necessary to gather information about the experiences of the users. This is the first study that examines the experiences of GPs on the use of DDSS nationwide.
A qualitative descriptive study was conducted based on snowball sampling. Semi-structured interviews were performed in February-March 2022 with nine GPs. Data were analyzed by thematic analysis. A total of six themes and 16 subthemes emerged from the data.
A total of six themes and 16 subthemes emerged from the data. The following themes were identified: user-friendliness, DDSS use in clinical practice, benefits of the DDSS, and the impact of the DDSS on GPs' work, barriers to using the DDSS, and suggestions for improving the user experience. The results of the study are important, as they address and contribute to the relevant aspects of digital health in primary care.
GPs shared their individual user experiences, including user-perceived barriers and enabling factors that influence the implementation and use of a decision support system in primary care settings. It is revealed that GPs have different benefits and barriers depending on the topic discussed. Future research should evaluate the functioning of the DDSS and the quality of the decisions it provides by observing and evaluating patient records. Systematic user experiences need to be collected and examined to ensure the usability and sustainability of the DDSS.
本研究旨在描述一个全国性数字决策支持系统（DDSS）的用户体验。
DDSS有潜力通过基于证据的建议支持临床决策，从而提高医疗服务的质量和安全性。由于缺乏相关知识，很难评估DDSS是否实现了其目标。2020年，爱沙尼亚实施了一个面向全科医生（GP）的全国性DDSS。为了解DDSS在爱沙尼亚背景下对医疗质量的影响并满足医疗保健需求，有必要收集用户体验信息。这是第一项在全国范围内研究全科医生使用DDSS体验的研究。
基于滚雪球抽样进行了一项定性描述性研究。2022年2月至3月，对9名全科医生进行了半结构化访谈。通过主题分析对数据进行了分析。数据共产生了6个主题和16个子主题。
数据共产生了6个主题和16个子主题。确定了以下主题：用户友好性、DDSS在临床实践中的使用、DDSS的益处、DDSS对全科医生工作的影响、使用DDSS的障碍以及改善用户体验的建议。该研究结果很重要，因为它们涉及并有助于初级保健中数字健康的相关方面。
全科医生分享了他们的个人用户体验，包括用户感知到的影响初级保健环境中决策支持系统实施和使用的障碍及促成因素。结果表明，根据所讨论的主题，全科医生有不同的益处和障碍。未来的研究应通过观察和评估患者记录来评估DDSS的功能及其提供的决策质量。需要收集和检查系统的用户体验，以确保DDSS的可用性和可持续性。
