Data as symptom: Doctors’ responses to patient-provided data in general practice

• DOI: 10.1177/03063127231164345
• Publication Date: 2023-04-25T09:58:26Z
• Authors: Christoffer Bjerr...; Rola Ajjawi; Margaret Bearman; John Brandt Brode...; Torsten Risor; Klaus Hoeyer
• Keywords: general practice; data infrastructure; diagnosis; Attitude of Health Personnel; Communication; General Practice; data work; Articles; 16. Peace & justice; 300; 3. Good health; DATA WORK; recontextualization; wearables; symptom checkers; General Practitioners; HEALTH-CARE; Humans; Patient Reported Outcomes; Qualitative Research; datafication

People are increasingly able to generate their own health data through new technologies such as wearables and online symptom checkers. However, generating is one thing, interpreting them another. General practitioners (GPs) likely be the first help with interpretations. Policymakers in European Union investing heavily infrastructures provide GPs access patient measurements. But there may a disconnect between policy ambitions everyday practices of GPs. To investigate this, we conducted semi-structured interviews 23 Danish According GPs, patients relatively rarely bring them. mostly remember three types patient-generated that for interpretation: heart sleep measurements from results they also spoke extensively about work queries concerning GPs' Patient Reported Outcome system laboratory results. We juxtapose GP reflections on these five practices. These require substantial recontextualization before ascribe evidential value act Even when perceived actionable, patient-provided not approached measurements, suggested by frameworks. Rather, treat analogous symptoms-that say, subjective evidence rather than authoritative measures. Drawing Science Technology Studies (STS) literature,we suggest must part conversation makers digital entrepreneurs around how integrate into healthcare infrastructures.