Receptiveness Of GPs In The South Of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany To Obtaining Training On Technical Assistance Systems For Caregiving: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background

Challenges to general practitioners (GPs) as family doctors in Germany are growing because of the demographic situation. Technical assistance systems can improve the care for patients provided by GPs and care personnel to preserve autonomy. GPs are key persons in the health care team to recommend and facilitate access to technical solutions to influence their implementation into their patients’ homes.

Aim

Explore the general receptiveness of GPs in Germany regarding state-of-the-art and modern assistive technology, as well as their experiences, attitudes and expectations and their training demands.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among GPs in Germany with a self-developed questionnaire sent by mail.

Results

Response rate was 34% (n=194). As expected computers and smartphones are widely used. Data glasses, digital pens and virtual reality and others are often “unknown”. Experience with assistive technology was gained with emergency call systems, smart calendars and tablet dispensers. Self-reported receptiveness to use innovative technology is high but knowledge is low. The majority reported lack of access to training and support. The receptiveness for advanced education about technical solutions is high. In free-text response, some communicated their worries about the replacement of human interaction with technology.

Conclusion

The survey showed an overall high receptiveness about assistance technology to GPs and strong demands for education and support. Education for GPs need greater efforts to master the process transforming the digital health care provision.

Keywords:

• general practitioners
• physicians
• family physicians
• self-help devices
• technology
• outpatients

Acknowledgments

Besides the authors, Marcus Heise from Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine of the Medical Faculty of Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg supported this work. He did the data entry via FormPro scanning software. In addition, the team of the FORMAT project supported the conceptualization and piloting of the questionnaire. The Chi-square test of independence was done with professional support from Katharina Clever. Dawn Bielawski and Anne-Marie Lachmund did the proofreading. This work was done in project FORMAT of the research association, Autonomie im Alter [Autonomy in old age] funded by the Regional Development Fund under grant number ZS/2016/07/80201. The Library of Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg paid the open access fee.

Ethical Considerations

No ethical approval was obtained because this study did neither involve a prospective evaluation nor involve animals or patients. The research does not impose risks, harm or disadvantage on the participants. Ethical approval was, according to the guidelines of local ethics committee and the procedures in comparable cases and in accordance with §15/1 of the German professional codex of physicians in its current version not necessary (https://www.bundesaerztekammer.de/fileadmin/user_upload/downloads/pdf-Ordner/MBO/MBO-AE_EN_2018.pdf).

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.