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Application of Digital Services to Improve Patient-Centered Care
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Application of Digital Services to Improve Patient-Centered Care

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Digital Health Technologies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2025) | Viewed by 11734

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Elina Laukka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Wellbeing and Culture, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, 90220 Oulu, Finland
Interests: digitalization; eHealth; telemedicine; healthcare; leadership; value co-creation
Dr. Fowie Sze Fung Ng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Management, Tung Wah College, 31 Wylie Rd, King's Park, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Interests: health services management; health information management; health policy service; design for healthcare; digital health; telemedicine; end of life care

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare, the integration of digital services has emerged as a transformative force, reshaping the way care is delivered and experienced. With an aging population, an increase in chronic diseases, and lacking resources, maintaining affordable healthcare necessitates the use of more cost-effective technologies. Patient-centered care, which prioritizes the individual needs and preferences of patients, stands to benefit immensely from these technological advancements. By leveraging digital tools such as telemedicine, electronic health records, and mobile health applications, healthcare providers can enhance communication, streamline processes, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, which aims to explore the various ways in which digital services are being applied to foster a more personalized and effective healthcare system, ensuring that patients remain at the heart of care delivery.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • The role of digital services in enhancing patient-centered care, patient engagement, self-management, value co-creation/destruction, and overall healthcare experience.
  • The evolution, implementation, and impact of digital services on patient-centered care, including data privacy and interoperability challenges.
  • Comprehensive explorations of digital services and their impact on healthcare delivery and patient and other outcomes.
  • Other topics that help form an understanding of patient centricity in digital services, e.g., from the perspectives of managers and professionals.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Elina Laukka
Dr. Fowie Sze Fung Ng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • healthcare
  • patient centered
  • patient experience
  • digital services
  • telehealth
  • telemedicine
  • mHealth

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 1540 KB  
Article
Evaluating a Nationally Localized AI Chatbot for Personalized Primary Care Guidance: Insights from the HomeDOCtor Deployment in Slovenia
by Matjaž Gams, Tadej Horvat, Žiga Kolar, Primož Kocuvan, Kostadin Mishev and Monika Simjanoska Misheva
Healthcare 2025, 13(15), 1843; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13151843 - 29 Jul 2025
Viewed by 1399
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The demand for accessible and reliable digital health services has increased significantly in recent years, particularly in regions facing physician shortages. HomeDOCtor, a conversational AI platform developed in Slovenia, addresses this need with a nationally adapted architecture that combines retrieval-augmented generation [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The demand for accessible and reliable digital health services has increased significantly in recent years, particularly in regions facing physician shortages. HomeDOCtor, a conversational AI platform developed in Slovenia, addresses this need with a nationally adapted architecture that combines retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and a Redis-based vector database of curated medical guidelines. The objective of this study was to assess the performance and impact of HomeDOCtor in providing AI-powered healthcare assistance. Methods: HomeDOCtor is designed for human-centered communication and clinical relevance, supporting multilingual and multimedia citizen inputs while being available 24/7. It was tested using a set of 100 international clinical vignettes and 150 internal medicine exam questions from the University of Ljubljana to validate its clinical performance. Results: During its six-month nationwide deployment, HomeDOCtor received overwhelmingly positive user feedback with minimal criticism, and exceeded initial expectations, especially in light of widespread media narratives warning about the risks of AI. HomeDOCtor autonomously delivered localized, evidence-based guidance, including self-care instructions and referral suggestions, with average response times under three seconds. On international benchmarks, the system achieved ≥95% Top-1 diagnostic accuracy, comparable to leading medical AI platforms, and significantly outperformed stand-alone ChatGPT-4o in the national context (90.7% vs. 80.7%, p = 0.0135). Conclusions: Practically, HomeDOCtor eases the burden on healthcare professionals by providing citizens with 24/7 autonomous, personalized triage and self-care guidance for less complex medical issues, ensuring that these cases are self-managed efficiently. The system also identifies more serious cases that might otherwise be neglected, directing them to professionals for appropriate care. Theoretically, HomeDOCtor demonstrates that domain-specific, nationally adapted large language models can outperform general-purpose models. Methodologically, it offers a framework for integrating GDPR-compliant AI solutions in healthcare. These findings emphasize the value of localization in conversational AI and telemedicine solutions across diverse national contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Digital Services to Improve Patient-Centered Care)
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16 pages, 1787 KB  
Article
mHealth Applications in Saudi Arabia: Current Features and Future Opportunities
by Sultan A. Alharthi
Healthcare 2025, 13(12), 1392; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13121392 - 11 Jun 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3346
Abstract
Introduction: The rapid growth of mobile health (mHealth) applications has revolutionized healthcare delivery worldwide. These digital tools encompass a broad array of functionalities, including telemedicine, appointment scheduling, medication management, and health data tracking, all of which contribute to enhanced healthcare accessibility, increased patient [...] Read more.
Introduction: The rapid growth of mobile health (mHealth) applications has revolutionized healthcare delivery worldwide. These digital tools encompass a broad array of functionalities, including telemedicine, appointment scheduling, medication management, and health data tracking, all of which contribute to enhanced healthcare accessibility, increased patient engagement, and improved operational efficiency. However, despite their increasing prominence, the design, deployment, and use of mHealth applications continue to face several challenges, such as usability issues and overall sustained adoption. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate mHealth applications in Saudi Arabia, focusing on their design characteristics, usability features, and current feature gaps. Method: A total of 21 mHealth applications were selected and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. The apps were selected based on usage popularity in the Saudi market and relevance to national digital health strategies. Data were drawn from publicly available app store information, official app documentation, and expert evaluations. Results: The findings reveal that while mHealth applications excel in areas such as telemedicine, appointment booking, and health education, there are notable gaps in features such as behavior modification, patient monitoring, and health management. Conclusions: This study contributes to the growing body of research on mHealth by offering grounded insights into the functional landscape of digital health tools in Saudi Arabia. It also outlines practical recommendations to enhance usability, feature diversity, and alignment with evolving healthcare needs in Saudi Arabia and beyond. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Digital Services to Improve Patient-Centered Care)
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14 pages, 710 KB  
Article
Prognostic Factors for Responders of Home-Based Pulmonary Rehabilitation—Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial
by Chul Kim, Hee-Eun Choi, Chin Kook Rhee, Jae Ha Lee, Ju Hyun Oh and Jun Hyeong Song
Healthcare 2025, 13(3), 308; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13030308 - 3 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1648
Abstract
Background: Home-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an effective alternative to center-based PR. However, not all participants exhibit sufficient therapeutic improvement, highlighting the need to identify appropriate candidates to maximize cost-effectiveness. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with favorable outcomes in home-based [...] Read more.
Background: Home-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an effective alternative to center-based PR. However, not all participants exhibit sufficient therapeutic improvement, highlighting the need to identify appropriate candidates to maximize cost-effectiveness. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with favorable outcomes in home-based PR, focusing on the role of digital therapeutics (DTx). Methods: This secondary analysis used data from a randomized controlled trial. Participants with chronic respiratory disease (CRD) were divided into responders and non-responders based on a change in 6 min walk distance (6MWD) and patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) representing dyspnea and health-related quality of life. Factors such as baseline 6MWD, DTx use, and pulmonary function were analyzed for their predictive value in improving 6MWD and PROM scores. Results: Responders, particularly those using DTx, showed significantly greater improvements in 6MWD than non-responders. Participants with a baseline 6MWD under 500 m demonstrated a higher likelihood of exceeding the minimum clinically important difference in 6MWD. DTx use strongly predicted improvements in both 6MWD and PROM scores. The baseline diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide was also a significant factor influencing improvements in the modified Medical Research Council scale. Conclusions: Responders to 8-week program of home-based PR exhibited a relatively lower baseline health status. Encouraging participants with poorer baseline health could improve adherence to PR and enhance cost-effectiveness. Additionally, improvements in 6MWD and PROM scores were associated with the use of DTx. Considering the functions of DTx, proper supervision for home-based exercise may be crucial for achieving optimal outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Digital Services to Improve Patient-Centered Care)
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20 pages, 274 KB  
Article
Perceived Telehealth Usability for Personalized Healthcare Among the Adult Population in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Post-COVID-19 Era
by Samiha Hamdi Sayed, Danyah Abdulrahman Aldailami, Maha Mahmoud Abd El Aziz and Ebtesam Abbas Elsayed
Healthcare 2025, 13(1), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13010062 - 1 Jan 2025
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4698
Abstract
Background: Due to technological advancements, the demand for easily accessible and convenient healthcare services is rising globally. Thus, telehealth is gaining momentum that was previously unheard of. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) actively embraces digital innovation in the healthcare industry through [...] Read more.
Background: Due to technological advancements, the demand for easily accessible and convenient healthcare services is rising globally. Thus, telehealth is gaining momentum that was previously unheard of. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) actively embraces digital innovation in the healthcare industry through its ambitious Vision 2030 initiative. This study aimed to assess the perceived usability of telehealth for personalized healthcare among the KSA adult population in the post-COVID-19 era. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a convenience sample of 975 adults from the general population in KSA. A digital survey was used for data collection through Survey Monkey software. It contained two sections: personal and health data and the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ). The data was collected over three months (July–September 2024) and investigated using the multinomial logistic regression analysis. Results: This study showed that 59.8% of the participants have initiated telehealth service use before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the most frequently used services are the issuance of sick leave (30.6%), tele-prescription (29.0%), virtual consultation (20.0%), tele-mental health services (19.4%), telemonitoring (18.6), and tele-referral (18.2%). A high total telehealth usability score was observed among 60.4% of the participants: 72.7% perceive telehealth as highly useful, 76.4% perceive it as easy to use, 60.1% have high satisfaction and intention for future use, 57.4% perceive high interface quality, and 51.8% perceive a high interaction quality. Conversely, 45.8% perceive low reliability of the telehealth system. Multinomial logistic regression showed that low education (AOR = 2.04; 95% CI = 1.16–4.85) and using virtual consultation (AOR = 0.98; 95% CI = 0.38–0.99) were predictors of low telehealth usability. However, being female (AOR = 1.67; 95% CI = 1.27–2.55), being in higher education (AOR = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.02–2.34), and living in the central KSA region (AOR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.10–2.23) were predictors of high telehealth usability. Working status, income, and presence of chronic disease were not statistically significant predictors. Conclusions: Telehealth services have been highly usable in KSA even before the COVID-19 pandemic, with commonly used asynchronous services. Many social, technological, and system-related factors could affect the user experience and system reliability. Hence, telehealth developments are recommended to overcome such barriers, with future initiatives focusing on the flexibility and convenience of telehealth systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Digital Services to Improve Patient-Centered Care)
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