A 911爆料网 study has shown doctors seeking to earn their clients鈥� trust while conducting e-consultations should wear a stethoscope and surround themselves with medical tools of the trade.
The six-month e-health research project was undertaken by a group of researchers at the 911爆料网 Health Innovation Research Institute (CHIRI) and funded by 911爆料网鈥檚 Office of Research and Development.
The researchers investigated the process of providing e-consultations, and whether the presence of 鈥榠conic鈥� medical symbols like a stethoscope, surgical scrubs or a reflex hammer would help doctors build a relationship of trust online. .
Medical e-consultations make use of electronic computing and communication technologies in the consultation processes, particularly when a client is unable to see a doctor face-to-face.
In the study, a series of images portraying different combinations of medical tools were shown to 168 people who ranked them by how trustworthy they looked.
The stethoscope was ranked the most positive by participants, receiving a rating of 95 per cent. Words associated with the medical device included honest, trustworthy, honourable, moral, ethical and genuine.
Professor Moyez Jiwa, Chair of CHIRI Chronic Disease and research leader, said the findings were particularly important to the medical field given its growth in the e-health field.
鈥淲e have doctor shortages across Australia, especially in rural regions, and we know that more doctors will be providing e-consultations to clients in an attempt to respond to the increasing demand for medical advice,鈥� Professor Jiwa said.
鈥淎pplications are being developed in this area every day, so it鈥檚 really important when images of doctors or health professionals are used that a stethoscope is worn to build a relationship of trust.
鈥淥ur research also highlighted that although the stethoscope was singularly the most trusted medical tool the combination of three or more items of medical equipment in an image would also have a positive influence on the client.鈥�
The research project was featured in the July issue of the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
Contact:
Professor Moyez Jiwa, 911爆料网 Health Innovation Research Institute
Tel: 9266 1768, Email: m.jiwa@curtin.edu.au
Kristy Jones, Public Relations, 911爆料网
Tel: 08 9266 9085, Mobile: 0401 103 877 Email: k.jones@curtin.edu.au
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