Concerns in the way the digital revolution backs medical care are rising internationally. For the present guidance of improvements in second-generation health information technology to succeed, there is a need for support and commendation from the public for normalization in society. If the people implementing technological services do not find their ensuing gains, there is a possibility of the advantages of digital health not being apprehended (Ng et al., 2018). The world is currently in a digital era and changes within the medical field are rising, varying from online platforms to wearable gadgets. Undergraduate students form a significant proportion of second-generation technology communities are at a crucial position of increasingly being independent in their healthcare relations. The objective of the study by Cowey and Potts (2018) was to comprehend the experiences of digital and wider healthcare. Information technology will permit an enhanced comprehension of consequences for a national strategy, distinct healthcare establishments, and advanced research.
Cowey and Potts (2018) utilized focus groups and face-to-face interviews to gather qualitative data, permitting a comprehension of occurrences and lived practices. Although focus groups comprising friends are preferable attributable to the advantages of implementing research as a peer group, they were sometimes done with groups of strangers alongside personal interviews due to time limitations. Undergraduate students at University College London of between 18 and 21 years were selected for both focus groups and face-to-face interviews. Snowball sampling was undertaken to enhance contribution in the study and was fruitful in the formation of focus groups. Inductive thematic analysis was employed for data analysis where the researchers sought a logical framework method. Such an organized method and valuable arrangement for the information supported response to research questions while confirming that ensuing opinions were interlinked across subjects and remained within their settings. Undesirable member scrutiny and reaction on ensuing themes from respondents and professionals were utilized to improve the validity of the research.
The findings of the study by Cowey and Potts (2018) were based on answers of 24 undergraduates participated in the research, encompassing a high percentage of international scholars. The thematic assessment established 16 themes that included generation gap, effect on health professionals, and application of technology to substitute or improve interactions among medical experts. Some other themes were utilization of expertise to support management/transactional operations, paper versus electronic, and personal healthcare and fitness information. Several hindrances to technology in medical care were held by the participants. They encompass the insinuation of the insufficiency of mobile data bundles, weak signal, and ensuing charges or service disruption, in addition to concerns of safety and ease of application, especially connected with passwords.
Participants approved digital expertise and its support of schedules and reminders, particularly if they could undertake operations conveniently on individual gadgets. The application of expertise to back test outcomes was found to be intricate. The use of notices and the capacity to get results from a portal was favored, because it provided convenience. One could obtain the results appropriately instead of wasting time in search of them (Cowey & Potts, 2018). Nevertheless, participants were concerned with the significance of information and the need to ask questions. Regardless of being second-generation technology natives, they still had the notion of paper as being authentic or official, which led to the preference of both digital and physical plans. There was rising worry of the loss of data in cyberspace, trouble of annotation, and crashing of technological devices in the strict use of digital formats hence the hesitancy to shift away from paperwork.
Though the group was more dismissive of the application of technology than anticipated, the participants seemed open-minded and affirmed that a change of attitude was necessary. Nonetheless, the concerns raised by this group are not exceptional to the digital cohort, encompassing issues linked to cybersecurity and preference of paper documentation (Meri et al., 2019). Numerous participants had the feeling that technological creativities such as portals or video calls might be valuable in the management of long-term conditions. Such students could not relate the circumstances suitably with their experiences. Numerous possibilities abound within the healthcare system to explore the applicability of the findings of this study and assess the influence on patient care.
The study concluded that the continued development of transactional basic service practices is vital to continually enhance patient care and benefit from underlying digital alternatives. Patients to whom digital health is offered should be cognizant of the application of technological devices such as smartphones with the help of simple and safe sign-up practices (Brink et al., 2017). Healthcare systems around the globe should be careful not to invest in practices that will not be valuable to the provision of quality care by excellently considering intended patient groups when making such judgments. There is a need for healthcare professionals to implement additional research with second-generation technology natives to assist in eliminating hindrances to effective digital care (Staggers et al., 2018). The second-generation health information technology group can offer a crucial guide across medical informatics attributable to their experience of technological services (Cowey & Potts, 2018). Therefore, a facilitated collaborative approach is essential to comprehend why the group of participants in this study was not convinced of the benefits of the sole application of technology without paperwork and to eradicate possible barriers.
References
Brink, J. A., Arenson, R. L., Grist, T. M., Lewin, J. S., & Enzmann, D. (2017). Bits and bytes: The future of radiology lies in informatics and information technology. European Radiology, 27(9), 3647-3651. Web.
Cowey, A. E., & Potts, H. W. W. (2018). What can we learn from second generation digital natives? A qualitative study of undergraduates’ views of digital health at one London university. Digital Health, 4, 1-13. Web.
Meri, A., Hasan, M. K., Danaee, M., Jaber, M., Jarrar, M., Safei, N., Dauwed, M., Abd, S. K. & Al-bsheish, M. (2019). Modeling the utilization of cloud health information systems in the Iraqi public healthcare sector. Telematics and Informatics, 36, 132-146. Web.
Ng, Y. C., Alexander, S., & Frith, K. H. (2018). Integration of mobile health applications in health information technology initiatives: Expanding opportunities for nurse participation in population health. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 36(5), 209-213. Web.
Staggers, N., Elias, B. L., Makar, E., & Alexander, G. L. (2018). The imperative of solving nurses’ usability problems with health information technology. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 48(4), 191-196. Web.