Digital Health Transition in Rheumatology: A Qualitative Study

Felix Mühlensiepen, Sandra Kurkowski, Martin Krusche, Johanna Mucke, Robert Prill, Martin Heinze, Martin Welcker, Hendrik Schulze-Koops, Nicolas Vuillerme, Georg Schett and Johannes Knitza
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Felix Mühlensiepen: Center for Health Services Research, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, 15562 Rüdersdorf, Germany
Sandra Kurkowski: Department of Palliative Medicine, CCC Erlangen-EMN, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
Martin Krusche: Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Johanna Mucke: Policlinic and Hiller Research Unit for Rheumatology, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
Robert Prill: Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
Martin Heinze: Center for Health Services Research, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, 15562 Rüdersdorf, Germany
Martin Welcker: Medizinisches Versorgungszentrum für Rheumatologie Dr. M. Welcker GmbH, 82152 Planegg, Germany
Hendrik Schulze-Koops: Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine IV, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80336 Munich, Germany
Nicolas Vuillerme: AGEIS, Faculty of Medicine, Université Grenoble Alpes, 38706 Grenoble, France
Georg Schett: Department of Internal Medicine 3—Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
Johannes Knitza: AGEIS, Faculty of Medicine, Université Grenoble Alpes, 38706 Grenoble, France

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 5, 1-11

Abstract: The global COVID-19 pandemic has led to drastic changes in the management of patients with rheumatic diseases. Due to the imminent risk of infection, monitoring intervals of rheumatic patients have prolonged. The aim of this study is to present insights from patients, rheumatologists, and digital product developers on the ongoing digital health transition in rheumatology. A qualitative and participatory semi-structured fishbowl approach was conducted to gain detailed insights from a total of 476 participants. The main findings show that digital health and remote care are generally welcomed by the participants. Five key themes emerged from the qualitative content analysis: (1) digital rheumatology use cases, (2) user descriptions, (3) adaptation to different environments of rheumatology care, and (4) potentials of and (5) barriers to digital rheumatology implementation. Codes were scaled by positive and negative ratings as well as on micro, meso, and macro levels. A main recommendation resulting from the insights is that both patients and rheumatologists need more information and education to successfully implement digital health tools into clinical routine.

Keywords: rheumatology; chronic disease; digital health; eHealth; telemedicine; remote care; patient perspective; qualitative research; fishbowl discussion; content analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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