The impact of digital technologies on the UK Healthcare: A Human-Centered Study
Kukoryte, Erika (2022)
2022
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022052311105
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022052311105
Tiivistelmä
Digital technology is one form of technology with ubiquitous application, especially with the spread of smart phones and other smart devices.Tools and platforms for Information and Communication such as chat or video calling have become popular since the covid pandemic, becoming a new norm in the workplace.
Similarly, the healthcare sector in the UK has also witnessed since the covid pandemic a notable acceleration in digital applications and digital services. One example is the NHS app, the digital application of the Governmental British National Health Service.
The aim of the study is to determine how digital technologies have impacted the UK healthcare service from the patient’s (end-user) perspective.
The thesis project is a human-centered qualitative research that follows the interpretive paradigm and phenomenology. Phenomenology as the focus is to look into a phenomena which is digital technologies in UK healthcare services, and interpretivism as it focuses on interpreting the views of people receiving the service. The metods used in this research are a focus group, an inspirational cards session and finally a future workshop.
The research findings show that although digital technologies were implemented in a number of processes increasing efficiency within the UK healthcare, this has not drastically improved the healthcare service as of yet for patients, as they showed no signs of using the apps as a first option when seeking medical advice or booking an appointment. This is mainly due to the fact that the apps are not used frequently. There is also still a lack of awareness of the app features, and accessibility and trust issues remain especially with sensitive individual health information. However, with further new technology like DNA mapping, the service will potentially become more personal and adapted to the individual, which could be a trigger for the patient to interact more frequently with the app.
The study is of benfit at individual level as it brings their voice to improve the service provided by the NHS app and other digital-based offerings, and at organisational level as businesses would benefit from understanding customers’ expectations and work to fulfil that void in the service, and also at governmental level as it paves the way for the government to take necessary decisions and set-up incentives for companies to provide better services to the end-user.
Similarly, the healthcare sector in the UK has also witnessed since the covid pandemic a notable acceleration in digital applications and digital services. One example is the NHS app, the digital application of the Governmental British National Health Service.
The aim of the study is to determine how digital technologies have impacted the UK healthcare service from the patient’s (end-user) perspective.
The thesis project is a human-centered qualitative research that follows the interpretive paradigm and phenomenology. Phenomenology as the focus is to look into a phenomena which is digital technologies in UK healthcare services, and interpretivism as it focuses on interpreting the views of people receiving the service. The metods used in this research are a focus group, an inspirational cards session and finally a future workshop.
The research findings show that although digital technologies were implemented in a number of processes increasing efficiency within the UK healthcare, this has not drastically improved the healthcare service as of yet for patients, as they showed no signs of using the apps as a first option when seeking medical advice or booking an appointment. This is mainly due to the fact that the apps are not used frequently. There is also still a lack of awareness of the app features, and accessibility and trust issues remain especially with sensitive individual health information. However, with further new technology like DNA mapping, the service will potentially become more personal and adapted to the individual, which could be a trigger for the patient to interact more frequently with the app.
The study is of benfit at individual level as it brings their voice to improve the service provided by the NHS app and other digital-based offerings, and at organisational level as businesses would benefit from understanding customers’ expectations and work to fulfil that void in the service, and also at governmental level as it paves the way for the government to take necessary decisions and set-up incentives for companies to provide better services to the end-user.