Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35976692›Full record

ArticleJournal of medical Internet research2022

The Interplay of Work, Digital Health Usage, and the Perceived Effects of Digitalization on Physicians' Work: Network Analysis Approach.

Petra Saukkonen, Marko Elovainio, Lotta Virtanen, Anu-Marja Kaihlanen, Janna Nadav, Tinja Lääveri, Jukka Vänskä, Johanna Viitanen, Jarmo Reponen, Tarja Heponiemi

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of medical Internet research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
4.0field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 21 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Petra SaukkonenFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.ORCID 0000-0003-3035-4451
Marko ElovainioFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-1401-1910
Lotta VirtanenFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.ORCID 0000-0001-9364-5219
Anu-Marja KaihlanenFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-4033-3673
Janna NadavFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-9735-3480
Tinja LääveriInfectious Diseases and Meilahti Vaccine Research Center MeVac, Inflammation Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.ORCID 0000-0003-4124-6667
Jukka VänskäFinnish Medical Association, Helsinki, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-2621-3245
Johanna ViitanenDepartment of Computer Science, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-6659-5022
Jarmo ReponenResearch Unit of Medical Imaging, Physics and Technology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.ORCID 0000-0003-2306-3111
Tarja HeponiemiFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.ORCID 0000-0001-8540-049X
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare · FIUniversity of Helsinki · FIAalto University · FIFinnish Medical Foundation · FIOulu University Hospital · FI

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn health care, the benefits of digitalization need to outweigh the risks, but there is limited knowledge about the factors affecting this balance in the work environment of physicians. To achieve the benefits of digitalization, a more comprehensive understanding of this complex phenomenon related to the digitalization of physicians' work is needed.

objectiveThe aim of this study was to examine physicians' perceptions of the effects of health care digitalization on their work and to analyze how these perceptions are associated with multiple factors related to work and digital health usage.

methodsA representative sample of 4630 (response rate 24.46%) Finnish physicians (2960/4617, 64.11% women) was used. Statements measuring the perceived effects of digitalization on work included the patients' active role, preventive work, interprofessional cooperation, decision support, access to patient information, and faster consultations. Network analysis of the perceived effects of digitalization and factors related to work and digital health usage was conducted using mixed graphical modeling. Adjusted and standardized regression coefficients are denoted by b. Centrality statistics were examined to evaluate the relative influence of each variable in terms of node strength.

resultsNearly half of physicians considered that digitalization has promoted an active role for patients in their own care (2104/4537, 46.37%) and easier access to patient information (1986/4551, 43.64%), but only 1 in 10 (445/4529, 9.82%) felt that the impact has been positive on consultation times with patients. Almost half of the respondents estimated that digitalization has neither increased nor decreased the possibilities for preventive work (2036/4506, 45.18%) and supportiveness of clinical decision support systems (1941/4458, 43.54%). When all variables were integrated into the network, the most influential variables were purpose of using health information systems, employment sector, and specialization status. However, the grade given to the electronic health record (EHR) system that was primarily used had the strongest direct links to faster consultations (b=0.32) and facilitated access to patient information (b=0.28). At least 6 months of use of the main EHR was associated with facilitated access to patient information (b=0.18).

conclusionsThe results highlight the complex interdependence of multiple factors associated with the perceived effects of digitalization on physicians' work. It seems that a high-quality EHR system is critical for promoting smooth clinical practice. In addition, work-related factors may influence other factors that affect digital health success. These factors should be considered when developing and implementing new digital health technologies or services for physicians' work. The adoption of digital health is not just a technological project but a project that changes existing work practices.

Indexed as

Health Information SystemsPhysiciansBiomedical TechnologyElectronic Health RecordsFemaleHumansMaleReferral and ConsultationSurveys and Questionnairesdigital healthdigitalization of workhealth care digitalizationmixed graphical modelnetwork analysisphysicianswork in transformation

Identifiers

PMID35976692
PMCPMC9434392
OpenAlexW4292103937

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.