ABSTRACT: General practitioners are one of the first medical specialists which will use Health Information System – the main structural unit of Bulgarian electronic health. The efficient implementation and use of electronic health require the study of attitudes, needs, requirements and concerns by end-users, such as general practitioners. The aim of the present study is to analyze the readiness of general practitioners to use electronic health services, what are the positive expectations towards it and what are the barriers that would prevent its use; what are the attitudes of general practitioners towards the use of health mobile applications and to health information online. A paper questionnaire was used for the study, distributed at a working meeting of the National Association of General Practitioners in Bulgaria. From the provided 200 questionnaires, the answers of 66 general practitioners were collected. The software product SPSSv.17 was used for statistical processing of the results. The results show a very positive attitude towards the benefits of electronic health, ranging between 68.2% and 92.4% on the different indicators. Among the general practitioner’s concerns regarding electronic health are less time spent on patients (44.6%), and impaired patient confidentiality (47.6%). The need for training is strongly expressed in 90.9% of respondents. The positive expectations of general practitioners for electronic health are an important prerequisite for its successful use. However, the need for timely and adequate technical training addressed to general practitioners stands out.

Keywords: electronic health, general practitioners, health mobile applications, attitudes

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