Family physicians’ perceptions of digital health technologies as enablers of personalised medicine in primary care: a cross-sectional survey in Moldova

Abstract

Introduction. The aim of this study was to assess family physicians’ perceptions and practices regarding the use of digital health technologies in clinical practice and to identify potential barriers to implementing digitalization as a pillar of personalised medicine. Materials and methods. A descriptive, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted among 319 family physicians from primary healthcare institutions across the Republic of Moldova. Data were collected between March and June 2024 using a paper-based, self-administered questionnaire developed specifically for this study and validated through expert review and pilot testing. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics and Microsoft Excel and included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s chi-square tests for categorical comparisons, Bonferroni-adjusted post-hoc comparisons where appropriate, and age-adjusted ordinal logistic regression to assess differences by practice setting. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results. Only 106 respondents (33.2%; 95% CI: 28.0–38.4) identified electronic health data integration as a component of personalised medicine, despite near-universal use of electronic medical record systems (310; 97.2%; 95% CI: 95.4– 99.0). While perceptions of the usefulness of digital tools were predominantly positive (approximately 65–70%), with 209 respondents (65.5%; 95% CI: 60.3–70.7) indicating that electronic medical records facilitate clinical activity and 204 (64.0%; 95% CI: 58.7–69.3) reporting that digital technologies can improve quality of care, only 142 respondents (44.5%; 95% CI: 39.1–50.0) supported patient access to medical data and 114 (35.8%; 95% CI: 30.5–41.1) perceived benefits of such access. Comfort with digital systems was moderate, with 220 respondents (69.0%; 95% CI: 63.9–74.1) expressing agreement or strong agreement regarding their comfort with using health information systems. Conclusions. Primary-care electronic medical record use was nearly universal among surveyed family physicians, while awareness of digital data integration as a component of personalised medicine and support for patient access to records were less frequent. Age-adjusted analyses showed persistent urban–rural differences. These findings support the development of user-centred digital solutions and targeted education on digital health, interoperability, data sharing, and patient access.