Population Inclusion in the Digitalization of Healthcare

Abstract

This article analyzes the results of a survey conducted in Tomsk and Moscow in 2022 by the Laboratory of Digital Anthropology of Medical Systems at SibSMU. The survey used standardized interviews and focused on the public’s attitudes toward the digitalization of healthcare. It aimed to understand the population’s involvement in the digital transformation of healthcare and their assessment of its various aspects. Key issues addressed included the level of use of digital applications, citizen satisfaction with the digitalization of healthcare services, and concerns about the digital transformation of healthcare. The study found that people are generally satisfied with the availability and cost-saving benefits of electronic health services. Residents of metropolitan areas, who face higher offline communication costs, have a higher demand for digital services than residents of rural areas, who face more significant digital barriers due to limited Internet access and lack of ICT skills. A major concern among the respondents was the potential decline in quality of care due to digitalization. The government sees the use of portals containing personal medical information as a measure to improve the quality of healthcare services. However, the study highlights the need for further action: ensuring the security of digitized personal information and using the accumulated data to advance knowledge, possibly through artificial intelligence technologies. The research suggests that patient involvement in healthcare digitalization could be beneficial for systemic transformation, yet this aspect is currently overlooked in the Russian approach to digitalization.