Äldre patienters användning av digitala vårdverktyg : En litteraturöversikt

Sammanfattning

Today's healthcare system is undergoing continuous digital development, in which older patients may experience difficulties adapting to the rapid changes. A central aspect of this development is digital healthcare tools, which can contribute to more patient-centred care by promoting self-care. One example is 1177, where patients can access their medical records and communicate with healthcare professionals through messaging functions. Despite digitalisation becoming an increasingly integrated part of modern healthcare, there is still uncertainty regarding how older patients' experiences of using digital healthcare tools. The aim of this study was to illuminate older patients’ experiences of using digital healthcare tools. This literature review used an integrative synthesis inspired by meta-synthesis. Article searches were conducted in the databases CINAHL and PubMed to identify relevant articles, ten articles were reviewed and included following quality assessment. The data analysis resulted in the identification of three main themes: Efficiency in healthcare through digital tools, limitations in encounters with digital healthcare, and learning and support in the use of digital healthcare tools. The results of the study show that the use of digital healthcare tools involves varying experiences, where increased accessibility and efficiency emerged as benefits by enabling easier remote contact with healthcare services. A perceived challenge was limited digital competence, which constituted a clear barrier to use. At the same time, a general openness towards the implementation of digital healthcare emerged, provided that adequate education and support were available. Given the right conditions, digital healthcare tools may constitute a valuable resource within healthcare, but they should be regarded as a complement rather than a complete replacement for physical contact.