What is PRO? An investigation of coherence in patient-reported outcomes in general practice as a social construction of technology
Authors
Jørgensen, Sisse Helena Faldborg ; Stoustrup, Anna Lei
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2019
Submitted on
2019-06-07
Pages
72
Abstract
Patient-reported outcomes (PRO) are increasingly adopted in the Danish healthcare system, including general practice, yet there is no clear consensus on what the O in PRO should denote. This thesis investigates how different actors construct understandings of PRO as a technology and the implications for implementation and use. Guided by the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) approach, the study applies qualitative methods: a document analysis of Danish reports on digital health and PRO, semi-structured interviews, and transcription and analysis of video material. Data were coded and analysed according to SCOT to identify social groups’ sets of meanings, problems, and solutions. Findings show that understandings vary across groups—beginning with competing translations of the O—while correlations exist between the problems groups encounter. Actors’ prior experiences with health technologies, especially challenges around data sharing, shape their stances: some are cautious, whereas those tasked with national implementation and without negative experiences emphasise benefits. The discussion highlights the complexity of proposed solutions: measures that solve problems for some groups may create new ones for others. The study adds insight into how social constructions shape PRO in general practice and underscores the need to align terminology, expectations, and practices across actors.
Patientrapporterede data (PRO) bliver i stigende grad taget i brug i det danske sundhedsvæsen, også i almen praksis, men der er ingen entydig enighed om, hvad O'et i PRO dækker over. Denne afhandling undersøger, hvilke forståelser af PRO-teknologien forskellige aktører konstruerer, og hvilke implikationer det har for implementering og anvendelse. Med udgangspunkt i Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) anvendes kvalitative metoder: en dokumentanalyse af danske rapporter om digital sundhed og PRO, semistrukturerede interviews samt transskription og analyse af videomateriale. Data er kodet og analyseret efter SCOT for at identificere sociale gruppers set of meanings, problemer og løsninger. Resultaterne viser, at forståelserne varierer på tværs af grupper – allerede i oversættelsen af O'et – og at der samtidig findes korrelationer mellem de problemer, grupperne oplever. Aktørers tidligere erfaringer med sundhedsteknologi, særligt udfordringer med datadeling, præger deres holdninger: nogle er tilbageholdende, mens aktører, der arbejder med national implementering og ikke har negative erfaringer, fremhæver fordelene. Diskussionsdelen peger på, at foreslåede løsninger er komplekse: de kan afhjælpe visse gruppers problemer, men samtidig skabe nye for andre. Studiet bidrager med indsigt i, hvordan sociale konstruktioner former PRO i almen praksis, og understreger behovet for at afstemme begreber, forventninger og praksis på tværs af aktører.
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