TY  - JOUR
AU  - Torrent-Sellens, Joan
AU  - Díaz-Chao, Ángel
AU  - Soler-Ramos, Ivan
AU  - Saigí-Rubió, Francesc
PY  - 2018
DA  - 2018/10/22
TI  - Modeling and Predicting Outcomes of eHealth Usage by European Physicians: Multidimensional Approach from a Survey of 9196 General Practitioners
JO  - J Med Internet Res
SP  - e279
VL  - 20
IS  - 10
KW  - internet
KW  - eHealth
KW  - health care
KW  - health drivers
KW  - health barriers
KW  - health attitude
KW  - health information
KW  - health empowerment
KW  - information and communication technologies
KW  - structural equation modeling
KW  - Europe
AB  - Background: The literature has noted the need to use more advanced methods and models to evaluate physicians’ outcomes in the shared health care model that electronic health (eHealth) proposes. Objective: The goal of our study was to design and evaluate a predictive multidimensional model of the outcomes of eHealth usage by European physicians. Methods: We used 2012-2013 survey data from a sample of 9196 European physicians (general practitioners). We proposed and tested two composite indicators of eHealth usage outcomes (internal practices and practices with patients) through 2-stage structural equation modeling. Logistic regression (odds ratios, ORs) to model the predictors of eHealth usage outcomes indicators were also calculated. Results: European general practitioners who were female (internal practices OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.10-1.20; practices with patients OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.14-1.24) and younger—aged <35 years (internal practices OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02-1.26; practices with patients OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.13-1.54) and aged 36-45 years (internal practices OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.06-1.28; practices with patients OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.10-1.33)—had a greater propensity toward favorable eHealth usage outcomes in internal practices and practices with patients. European general practitioners who positively valued information and communication technology (ICT) impact on their personal working processes (internal practices OR 5.30, 95% CI 4.73-5.93; practices with patients OR 4.83, 95% CI 4.32-5.40), teamwork processes (internal practices OR 4.19, 95% CI 3.78-4.65; practices with patients OR 3.38, 95% CI 3.05-3.74), and the doctor-patient relationship (internal practices OR 3.97, 95% CI 3.60-4.37; practices with patients OR 6.02, 95% CI 5.43-6.67) had a high propensity toward favorable effects of eHealth usage on internal practices and practices with patients. More favorable eHealth outcomes were also observed for self-employed European general practitioners (internal practices OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.22-1.45; practices with patients OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.03-1.28). Finally, general practitioners who reported that the number of patients treated in the last 2 years had remained constant (internal practices OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.17) or increased (practices with patients OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03-1.22) had a higher propensity toward favorable eHealth usage outcomes. Conclusions: We provide new evidence of predictors (sociodemographic issues, attitudes toward ICT impacts, and working conditions) that explain favorable eHealth usage outcomes. The results highlight the need to develop more specific policies for eHealth usage to address different realities. 
SN  - 1438-8871
UR  - http://www.jmir.org/2018/10/e279/
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9253
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30348628
DO  - 10.2196/jmir.9253
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/jmir.9253
ER  -