The digital transformation of physician–patient consultations: Identifying problems and approaches to improve adherence

There is evidence for a correlation between effective physician–patient communication in consultations and improved adherence to treatment. Lack of time, limited communication training, growing administrative duties, and low recall of physicians’ information and recommendations by patients are antagonists to effective physician–patient communication. In interviews with physicians, therapists, and patients, we first identify problems of current consultation practices and condense them in a problem scenario. We then use interview results to explore potential solutions, applying modern information technology such as digital medical assistants. Lastly, those potential solutions are condensed in an activity scenario that can be used for further design science research activities. To effective physician–patient communication, such as lack of time [10, 15], limited communication training [16], growing administrative duties [15], and low recall by patients of physicians’ information and recommendations [20]. The aim of this study is to explore the short- and long-term potential for improving the physician–patient consultation and thus adherence to treatment with the help of information technology. The physician–patient consultation as well as its preparation and follow-up are examined. We intend to identify starting points for the design of technological solutions that can be investigated and validated in further research with the help of Design Science Research (DSR) [17, 26]. We use scenarios to make problems and their potential solutions visible and tangible [30].