Expectations on future digital healthcare services: A study on hopes, fears and ideas expressed by citizens with asthma, diabetes, heart failure and the public in general

Abstract

This study compares the self-care practices of four user groups in Sweden with different health conditions, and identifies their expectations on future digital healthcare services. The purpose was to find out how Sahlgrenska University Hospital should develop their services, by means of Internet of Things and data collection, so that such services are well-received among Swedish citizens. Semi-structured comparative interviews were conducted with individuals living with asthma, type 1 diabetes and heart failure respectively, to elicit their hopes, fears and ideas on future digital healthcare services in relation to their self-care practice. The same was elicited from citizens in general through a survey. Transcripts and free-text answers were analysed in broad themes using thematic analysis, which were used to compose possible scenarios and considerations for future development by Sahlgrenska University Hospital. The study presents 34 themes of expectations in five categories: political context, organisational context, contact with healthcare, digitalisation, and data collection and sharing. To address these expectations, ten areas of considerations were formulated; five for convenient healthcare contact, and five for accepted health data collection and sharing. The expectations between user groups appeared to vary based on three main factors: 1) selfimage in relation to health condition, associated with willingness to adopt digital healthcare services; 2) degree of interaction with healthcare, associated with how well an individual navigates within the healthcare system; and 3) previous meaningful experience of collecting and sharing health data with healthcare and using digital devices, associated with willingness to use digital healthcare technology and share such data. The study indicates that no one, regardless of health conditions, wants more things to mind, carry or manage. Instead, future digital healthcare services should be uniform, minimalistic and automatic in design, as well as personalised, purposeful and supportive in order to facilitate proactive care among Swedish citizens.