Attitudes of hospital doctors in Malta to the adoption, implementation and utilisation of digital virtual consultations

Abstract

Digitalization has ushered in a new era for patient care, inducing the evolution of health care delivery. Despite this momentum, the uptake of technology in health is slow, reflecting the complexities surrounding patient-centred care. This research has sought to understand the Maltese doctors’ perceptions on digital consultations. Through its’ sequential explanatory mixed methodology nested within a pragmatic philosophy, this study has combined the quantitative and the qualitative, gaining from the strengths of both methodologies while compensating for their weaknesses. This study has found that doctors working in Mater Dei, perceived video consultations as relevant to their practice in the role of adjuncts to face-to-face consultations. They also perceived the organisation as instrumental in providing the necessary resources with the appropriate infrastructure and technical support affecting the ease of utilisation. In the presence of the right environment, doctors intended to use these new technologies. Other than minimising patient and doctor mobility, these technologies were seen as channels to access specialised care, improve patient management through an enhancement of the local level of medical knowledge, and alleviate the sense of isolation felt secondary to the local geography. Uptake of virtual consultations was influenced by the availability of the technology, the organisation’s ability to recognise and communicate their benefits as well as provide for their smooth implementation. The most significant factor impacting uptake was the readiness of the doctors themselves who would be instrumental in any planned adoption strategies. This study was carried out solely by the researcher, nevertheless the researcher sought to be rigorous throughout the entire process. It is hoped that this study serves to initiate a dialogue for the adoption of new technologies in patient care.