While digital health solutions promise to revolutionise healthcare, not all doctors are convinced. An AusDoc study examining doctors’ views on technology adoption found that those with 21+ years of experience remain cautious, voicing concerns about security, accuracy, and over-reliance on technology.
Why are Senior Doctors Hesitant?
When asked how they define “wellness,” GPs consistently described it as a holistic, lifestyle-oriented model of care that goes beyond the absence of disease.
Despite advancements in digital health, only 58% of doctors with 21+ years of experience report feeling confident in using digital tools, compared to 75% of mid-career doctors (11-20 years of experience). The barriers to adoption include security concerns, workflow disruptions, and doubts about AI reliability.
- Security Concerns: Senior doctors worry about patient data breaches, particularly with the rise in cyberattacks targeting healthcare organizations.
- Workflow Disruptions: Many find that digital tools slow them down rather than improving efficiency.
- Doubts About AI Accuracy: Some senior doctors are concerned about the reliability of AI in diagnostics and patient recommendations.
“I’ve been in practice for over 25 years, and I still don’t fully trust AI-driven diagnostics. I’ve seen cases where the AI got it wrong, and that’s dangerous.”
How can these Barriers be Overcome?
- Demonstrate stronger cybersecurity measures – Industry experts recommend end-to-end encryption and AI-driven threat detection to reduce the risk of data breaches.
- Provide more reliable AI training – Medical AI systems must be trained on diverse, high-quality datasets to minimise misclassifications.
- Create better system interoperability – Healthcare organisations should prioritize solutions that integrate smoothly with existing systems to reduce friction.
- Targeted and easily accessible training for senior doctors – Providing customised training programs for experienced doctors can help bridge the digital divide.
“I wasn’t comfortable with digital prescribing at first, but after a structured training program, I’ve found it much easier to use.”
Future outlook: Can digital health win over senior doctors?
Experts suggest that targeted education, regulatory assurances, and gradual adoption will be key in bridging the divide. Studies indicate that when senior doctors receive structured onboarding and training, their adoption rates improve by 45%.
- Hospitals implementing AI-driven clinical support tools saw a 30% increase in senior doctor adoption rates over two years.
- Physicians with over 20 years of experience who received ongoing digital health training reported a 50% increase in confidence using EHRs and telehealth tools.
“The key is making the transition smooth. If digital health can genuinely improve patient outcomes without overcomplicating our work, more senior doctors will come on board.”
Until then, the gap between digital health enthusiasts and sceptics will remain a critical challenge in modern healthcare. However, as digital tools become more intuitive and tailored to physician needs, even the most experienced doctors may start to embrace the change.
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Source
AusDoc survey: “Doctor understanding and use of digital health solutions” March 2025 (n=160)
This article was written with the assistance of AI