Digitalisation in Practice - A Qualitative Study of How To Enroll General Practitioners When Developing Digital Solutions

Abstract

Background: This thesis aims to investigate how and to what degree developers of digital healthcare solutions involve their intended user group, the general practitioners, when innovating for them. We further investigate how general practitioners perceive digital solutions, and how the developers can accommodate the challenges of enrolling general practitioners in the design process. Methods: This investigation was carried out from January to May 2019. The study builds on the qualitative methods semi structured interviews and participatory observations. A total of 11 interviews were conducted with GPs, a medical student, and representatives from LEO Innovation Lab, Trifork and MedCom. Theoretical framework: With a postphenomenological analysis, we investigate how the GPs engage in different relations with digital tools as Electronic Health Records, e-consultations and cell phones, and how these mediations affects their perception of technology, digital tools, and their practice. With the Design Thinking model from the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design from Stanford University, a comparative analysis of the design process at LEO Innovation Lab, developing a digital solution for GPs, and the design process of Trifork, developing the MinLæge app, is conducted. Results: Based on the gathered empirical data we identified several insights, here among how the general practitioners perceive digital technologies, and how they see themselves contributing in design processes of digital healthcare solutions. Furthermore, we outline a proposal for an adapted Design Thinking model to accommodate the needs of the general practitioners when enrolling them in the design process of digital solutions. Conclusion: We conclude that the group of general practitioners can not be seen as a homogen group that perceives digital solutions in a specific way, but could be seen as having different degrees of eHealth literacy. Modifying the Design Thinking process, provides the possibility of involving the GPs in a different way to accommodate their needs. Keywords: Design Thinking, postphenomenology, eHealth literacy, healthcare, primary sector, EHR, innovation, user involvement, human-technology relations, mediation of technology.

Colophon: This page is part of the AAU Student Projects portal, which is run by Aalborg University. Here, you can find and download publicly available bachelor's theses and master's projects from across the university dating from 2008 onwards. Student projects from before 2008 are available in printed form at Aalborg University Library.

If you have any questions about AAU Student Projects or the research registration, dissemination and analysis at Aalborg University, please feel free to contact the VBN team. You can also find more information in the AAU Student Projects FAQs.

A master thesis from Aalborg University

Digitalisation in Practice - A Qualitative Study of How To Enroll General Practitioners When Developing Digital Solutions