Digitale transformatie in de huisartsenzorg

An increase in demand for care and a decrease in workforce puts pressure on general practitioner care. Digital transformation helps to maintain the core values of primary care – continuous, person oriented, medical generalist and together. Patients experience, even outside contacts at the practice, more person-oriented and continuous care through online access and availability of reliable online information. Services like eAppointment and eRepeat prescription save time for the doctor's assistant. Online care, such as a video consultation, provides flexibility and continuity. Both GP’s and patients benefit from better data exchange and smart expert systems. Digital collaboration, for example with medical specialists, strengthens the central position of general practitioners. A digital transformation offers plenty of solutions, but can only succeed with high user-friendliness, increased knowledge and skills among patients and caregivers, and collaborative organization. Scientific research on the effect on the quality and effectiveness of care will have to play a role in choices of use.

Conflict of interest and financial support: ICMJE forms provided by the authors are available online along with the full text of this article.