OBJECTIVE: To compare the views of professionals and patients on the computerisation of consultations. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Rural health district in the province of Barcelona, with a population of about 15,000. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive sampling of people seen in the health district and the group of health professionals working in it. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Two anonymous self-filled questionnaires with closed questions aimed at health professionals and a sample of patients (accuracy, 0.05; confidence, 95%; prevalence, 50%). RESULTS: The mean age of the 407 patients was 48.4 (SD, 17.2), with 63.6% women. 21 questionnaires were filled in by the professionals (91%), 12 by doctors, and 9 by nurses. Their mean age was 43.9 (SD, 7.5), and 71.4% were women. For common questions, 54.3% of patients were keen on seeing the screen, while professionals calculated this figure at 11%. 5.6% of patients thought computerisation had changed the relationship, whereas 31.6% of professionals did. 12.6% of patients thought it had made the visit longer, whereas 38.1% of the professionals thought it had. 10.6% of patients and 47.4% of professionals thought it had led to loss of confidentiality. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of computers into consultations was accepted well. Professionals were more worried than patients about possible loss of confidentiality, and thought that there had been bigger changes in the doctor-patient relationship and that visits had become longer.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the views of professionals and patients on the computerisation of consultations. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Rural health district in the province of Barcelona, with a population of about 15,000. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive sampling of people seen in the health district and the group of health professionals working in it. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Two anonymous self-filled questionnaires with closed questions aimed at health professionals and a sample of patients (accuracy, 0.05; confidence, 95%; prevalence, 50%). RESULTS: The mean age of the 407 patients was 48.4 (SD, 17.2), with 63.6% women. 21 questionnaires were filled in by the professionals (91%), 12 by doctors, and 9 by nurses. Their mean age was 43.9 (SD, 7.5), and 71.4% were women. For common questions, 54.3% of patients were keen on seeing the screen, while professionals calculated this figure at 11%. 5.6% of patients thought computerisation had changed the relationship, whereas 31.6% of professionals did. 12.6% of patients thought it had made the visit longer, whereas 38.1% of the professionals thought it had. 10.6% of patients and 47.4% of professionals thought it had led to loss of confidentiality. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of computers into consultations was accepted well. Professionals were more worried than patients about possible loss of confidentiality, and thought that there had been bigger changes in the doctor-patient relationship and that visits had become longer.