Expanding access to self-management via Digital Health Technologies may supplement traditional care, mitigating pressures on primary care through self-management. Primary Care Physicians (PCP) can ...

Background: The National Health Service faces increasing strain. Concurrently, demand for health information, consumer empowerment and health awareness continue to grow. These trends, coupled with the ubiquity of smartphones and internet access, are positioning online symptom checkers (OSCs) as promising tools for preliminary diagnosis and triage. While there is increasing data on the demographics, motivations and perspectives of current and potential users of OSCs globally, no study has yet quantified or ranked the various factors associated with the use of OSCs in the United Kingdom (UK). Objective: The aim of this study was to assess key trends and user perceptions on the #usability and effectiveness of OSC in the UK. We also sought to identify concerns related to the privacy, security and accuracy of OSCs, and to quantify the weight of these various factors on the use of OSCs. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of UK adults was conducted using an electronic questionnaire. A convenience sample was recruited between February and March 2024 through online platforms and personal networks. The survey included questions on awareness, use, perceptions and concerns regarding OSCs, as well as respondents’ demographics. Responses were pseudo-anonymised and analysed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression models to assess relationships between demographic factors, perceived #usability, reliability and risks and OSC use. Results: The survey collected responses from 634 participants. The majority (85.7%) had used OSCs, primarily the NHS 111 service (78.6%). Younger age (below 46 years old), being female (aOR=1.79, 95%CI 1.05 – 3.06) and having children (aOR= 3.19, 95%CI 1.56 - 6.51) were associated with higher odds of using OSCs. Key motivations for using OSCs included understanding symptoms (79.0%) and determining the need for medical care (77.4%). Key concerns negatively impacting use related to privacy (aOR=0.58) and fear of replacing traditional, face-to-face consultations (aOR=0.47). The most important factor found to affect the decision to use OSCs was the perceived ease of use (adjusted odds ratio =8.17), followed by the perceived helpfulness in decision-making (aOR=2.96), and respondents’ trust in their diagnostic accuracy (aOR=2.24). Conclusions: OSCs are widely used in the UK, particularly the NHS 111 service, driven primarily by ease of use and perceived helpfulness in decision support. However, privacy and security concerns, as well as fears of OSCs replacing traditional consultations, pose significant barriers. Addressing these concerns is crucial for enhancing user trust and maximizing the benefits of OSCs in supporting self-care and improving healthcare efficiency.

GPs could face a rise in prescribing and monitoring work under draft NICE guidelines recommending earlier use of newer type 2 diabetes drugs.

The latest episode of Pulse in Focus: The Podcast for GPs focuses on the NHS 10-year plan and digital rectal exams for prostate cancer.

Background Access to electronic health records (EHRs) has the potential to improve the quality of care. Clinical notes, free-text entries documenting clinicians’ observations and decisions, are centra...

Background: Emergency departments (EDs) globally face unprecedented pressures due to aging populations, multimorbidity, and staff shortages. In response, health systems are adopting technological solu...

Introduction Early detection of cardiovascular disease in primary care is a public health priority, for which the clinical and cost-effectiveness of an artificial intelligence-enabled stethoscope that...

Background: #digital #health is a critical driver of quality, safety, and efficiency in #healthcare. However, poor quality of clinical information in #digital #health Technologies (DHTs) can compromise the quality and safety of care. The Clinical Information Quality (CLIQ) framework was developed, based on a systemic review of literature and an international eDelphi study, as a tool to assess the quality of clinical information in DHTs. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the applicability, internal consistency, and construct validity of the CLIQ framework. Methods: This study was conducted as a cross-sectional survey of #healthcare professionals across the UK who regularly use SystmOne #ehrs. Participants were invited through emails and social media platforms. The CLIQ questionnaire was administered as an online survey. Spearman’s correlation coefficients were computed to investigate the linear relationship between the dimensions in the CLIQ framework. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were computed to assess the internal consistency of the global scale (i.e., CLIQ framework) and the sub-scales (i.e., the informativeness, availability and usability categories). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the extent to which the survey data supported the construct validity of the CLIQ framework. Results: A total of 109 #healthcare professionals completed the survey, of which two-third (n = 67; 61.5%) were doctors and a quarter (n = 26; 23.9%) were nurses or advanced nurse practitioners. Overall, the CLIQ dimensions had good quality scores except for portability which had a modest score. The inter-item correlations were all positive and not likely due to chance. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the overall CLIQ framework was 0.89 (95 CI%: 0.85 – 0.92). The confirmatory factor analysis provided a modest support for the construct validity of the CLIQ framework with the Comparative Fit Index of 0.86 and Standardised Root Mean Square Residual of 0.08. Conclusions: The CLIQ framework demonstrated a high reliability and a modest construct validity. The CLIQ framework offers a pragmatic approach to assessing the quality of clinical information in DHTs and could be applied as part of information quality assurance systems in #healthcare settings to improve quality of #health information.

Waseem Jerjes 1 , Azeem Majeed 1 (1) Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, UKThe silent financial strain of medical training Medical training in the ...