[Views of professionals and patients on the introduction of computer science into the consultation].
OBJECTIVE
To compare the views of professionals and patients on the computerisation of consultations.


METHODS
Cross-sectional.


METHODS
Rural health district in the province of Barcelona, with a population of about 15,000.


METHODS
Consecutive sampling of people seen in the health district and the group of health professionals working in it.


METHODS
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.
Roig Buscató
C
C
Centro de Salud Santa Eugènia de Berga, MFyC Centro, Barcelona, Spain.
Erra Yuste
N
N
Seguer Toirán
A
A
Belda Díaz
S
S
Juncosa Font
S
S
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003201:Computers; D003219:Confidentiality; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010820:Physicians; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires