1️⃣ Digital health tools promise more efficient and accessible healthcare—but do they benefit everyone equally?
Last night, Prof @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social explored how digitalisation can actually deepen health inequalities by creating new barriers.
Here are my key takeaways from the lecture.🧵 1/8
Last night, Prof @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social explored how digitalisation can actually deepen health inequalities by creating new barriers.
Here are my key takeaways from the lecture.🧵 1/8
Comments
🧩Fragmentation is a major culprit, causing disjointed care, uneven access, and inconsistent quality —ultimately deepening existing inequalities.
📖 Read more: https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp23X732897
De-professionalisation diminishes the role of trained professionals, outsourcing critical expertise and decision-making to non-experts or automation 🩺➡️📲
Individuals with lower digital #literacy, older adults, and underserved communities struggle the most - can't access the care they need
🌀Complexification = barrier to access
Disembedding detaches care from traditional environments, making access more reliant on technology
While digital tools offer convenience, they may make healthcare less personal or widening access gaps
Digital tools push individuals to manage their own health — but not everyone has equal access or skills
Without support, this shift risks deepening health inequalities instead of empowering patients
More: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116885
Digital interactions may mimic in-person care, but lacks the depth, nuance, and personal connection needed for effective care
Facsimilisation = the illusion of care