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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05211466

Digital Care Chains in Health Care - a Study of Care Consumption, Care Quality, Work Environment and Well-being

Digital healthcare has developed rapidly to meet demands for accessible healthcare, streamline care and meet future challenges with increasing healthcare needs and reduced labour force in Sweden. Developers and stakeholders in Sweden want to exchange the praxis of phone triage to digital or semi-digital triaging tools, to relieve staff's workload and utilize better resource use that would benefit all patient groups. However, previous studies have showed demographic differences in utilization rate and an increase of simpler care matters when digital healthcare options are offered. Also, little is known of medical accuracy of digital triage tools and of the work environment in digital healthcare. More research is needed on this, as well as on care consumption, care quality and of patients' experiences of digital healthcare. The overall aim of the research project is to study a new digital healthcare platform being introduced in 2021/2022 in the County of Gävleborg, Sweden. The studies will focus on care quality and patient safety as well as explore the digital work environment and staff well-being in the digital healthcare platform. Data will be collected before and after the introduction of the digital healthcare platform, using register data and questionnaires. The data from the two time periods will be analyzed with descriptive and inference statistics, to explore if the digital healthcare platform has brought differences on group levels in staff estimates of care quality and patient safety as well as in work environment aspects such as the staffs' well-being.

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Key information

Conditions

Stress and Burnout Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Burnout, Psychological Care Givers Satisfaction Occupational Diseases Occupational Stress Personal Satisfaction Psychological Well-Being Stress, Psychological Technology Use Well-Being, Psychological Work Environment Adverse Effects Workload

Age range

18 year–100 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

County of Gavleborg

Gävle, Gävleborg County, Sweden

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • healthcare staff from all clinical areas in the County of Gavleborg
  • staff with permanent employment

Exclusion criteria

  • administrative staff
  • managers
  • staff on long term leave
  • staff on long term sick leave
  • staff on parent leave
  • staff expected to retire or resign within a year

Treatment and study plan

Digital healthcare platform

Other

In this specific digital healthcare platform, patients can enter symptoms and get an initial digital triage by artificial intelligence (AI). After the artificial intelligence (AI) has assessed the symptoms, the patient can be triaged to digital healthcare advices, or a chat with a healthcare professional. If needed, the healthcare professional can convert the chat to a telephone or video assessment, or book the patient to a healthcare specialist. The platform can also administer planned consultations with patients or between professionals, it can be used as a tool for the patient to book healthcare appointments, get diagnostics and assessments done, and receive treatment through.

Primary outcomes

  1. Staff-reported work environment in digital healthcare compared to traditional healthcare work.

    Time frame: Baseline measure during January - April 2022.

    Questions on work environment will be asked through a survey. The survey contains questions from the following questionnaires: Safety, Communication, Operational Reliability, and Engagement (SCORE) Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) Surveys on Patient Safety Culture™ Hospital Survey (SOPS®) and Staff Satisfaction with Care (SSC).

    SCORE: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a better outcome in factors on patient safety, working climate and personal growth, with some items reversed. Higher scores mean a worse outcome in factors on workload, burnout and stress.

    COPSOQ: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a better outcome in factors on stress and emotional demands, but a worse outcome in factors on workplace community and involvement, with one item reversed.

    SOPS Hospital Survey: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a worse outcome. SSC: Values between 1-7. Higher scores mean a better outcome.

  2. Staff-reported well-being in digital healthcare compared to traditional healthcare work.

    Time frame: Baseline measure during January - April 2022.

    Questions on well-being will be asked through a survey. The survey contains questions from the following questionnaires: Safety, Communication, Operational Reliability, and Engagement (SCORE) Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) Surveys on Patient Safety Culture™ Hospital Survey (SOPS®) and Staff Satisfaction with Care (SSC).

    SCORE: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a better outcome in factors on patient safety, working climate and personal growth, with some items reversed. Higher scores mean a worse outcome in factors on workload, burnout and stress.

    COPSOQ: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a better outcome in factors on stress and emotional demands, but a worse outcome in factors on workplace community and involvement, with one item reversed.

    SOPS Hospital Survey: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a worse outcome. SSC: Values between 1-7. Higher scores mean a better outcome.

  3. Staff-reported quality of care given through a digital platform compared to traditional healthcare.

    Time frame: Baseline measure during January - April 2022.

    Questions on quality of care will be asked through a survey. The survey contains questions from the following questionnaires: Safety, Communication, Operational Reliability, and Engagement (SCORE) Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) Surveys on Patient Safety Culture™ Hospital Survey (SOPS®) and Staff Satisfaction with Care (SSC).

    SCORE: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a better outcome in factors on patient safety, working climate and personal growth, with some items reversed. Higher scores mean a worse outcome in factors on workload, burnout and stress.

    COPSOQ: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a better outcome in factors on stress and emotional demands, but a worse outcome in factors on workplace community and involvement, with one item reversed.

    SOPS Hospital Survey: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a worse outcome. SSC: Values between 1-7. Higher scores mean a better outcome.

  4. Staff-reported work environment in digital healthcare compared to traditional healthcare work.

    Time frame: Measures will be made August to December 2024.

    Questions on work environment will be asked through a survey. The survey contains questions from the following questionnaires: Safety, Communication, Operational Reliability, and Engagement (SCORE) Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) Surveys on Patient Safety Culture™ Hospital Survey (SOPS®) and Staff Satisfaction with Care (SSC). Comparisons will be made between time and groups.

    SCORE: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a better outcome in factors on patient safety, working climate and personal growth with some items reversed. Higher scores mean a worse outcome in factors on workload, burnout and stress.

    COPSOQ: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a better outcome in factors on stress and emotional demands, but a worse outcome in factors on workplace community and involvement with one item reversed.

    SOPS Hospital Survey: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a worse outcome. SSC: Values between 1-7. Higher scores mean a better outcome.

  5. Staff-reported well-being in digital healthcare compared to traditional healthcare work.

    Time frame: Measures will be made August to December 2024.

    Questions on well-being will be asked through a survey. The survey contains questions from the following questionnaires: Safety, Communication, Operational Reliability, and Engagement (SCORE) Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) Surveys on Patient Safety Culture™ Hospital Survey (SOPS®) and Staff Satisfaction with Care (SSC).

    Comparisons will be made between time and groups. SCORE: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a better outcome in factors on patient safety, working climate and personal growth, with some items reversed. Higher scores mean a worse outcome in factors on workload, burnout and stress.

    COPSOQ: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a better outcome in factors on stress and emotional demands, but a worse outcome in factors on workplace community and involvement, with one item reversed.

    SOPS Hospital Survey: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a worse outcome. SSC: Values between 1-7. Higher scores mean a better outcome.

  6. Staff-reported quality of care given through a digital platform compared to traditional health care.

    Time frame: Measures will be made August to December 2024.

    Questions on quality of care will be asked through a survey. The survey contains questions from the following questionnaires: Safety, Communication, Operational Reliability, and Engagement (SCORE) Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) Surveys on Patient Safety Culture™ Hospital Survey (SOPS®) and Staff Satisfaction with Care (SSC).

    Comparisons will be made between time and groups. SCORE: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a better outcome in factors on patient safety, working climate and personal growth, with some items reversed. Higher scores mean a worse outcome in factors on workload, burnout and stress.

    COPSOQ: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a better outcome in factors on stress and emotional demands, but a worse outcome in factors on workplace community and involvement, with one item reversed.

    SOPS Hospital Survey: Values between 1-5. Higher scores mean a worse outcome. SSC: Values between 1-7. Higher scores mean a better outcome.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Region Gävleborg

Other

Collaborators

  • University of Gavle

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Jan 27, 2022
Registry last updated
Sep 25, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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