Enablers and inhibitors to the adoption of mHealth apps by patients: a qualitative analysis of German doctors' perspectives

Objective: Germany is the first country that approved validated mobile health apps (called DiGA) for prescription by doctors and psychotherapists. The aim of this study is to investigate doctors' perspectives towards these mobile health apps and their intentions to prescribe them. Additionally, we investigated the influence of different roles and expectations of outcomes.

Methods: We used a qualitative study design to determine doctors' viewpoints on prescribing DiGAs. We conducted 28 semi-structured interviews and used the grounded theory method for analysis. We adopted a classical conceptualist approach to gain theoretical insights.

Results: The results show that doctors' acceptance and support of DiGAs are critical in mobile health uptake and utilisation. Although mobile health is seen to be supportive of patient management and patient education doctors nevertheless need to adopt a motivating and persuasive role in the process.

Conclusions: Doctors consider DiGAs complementary to their role in patient management and are predominantly positive about DiGAs. A trusted relationship with patients must be developed to ensure the appropriate support of DiGAs.

Practice implications: Our study suggests that targeted education, user-centred DiGAs, consideration of social presence and user engagement, and co-development with doctors can improve longer-term DiGA use and effectiveness.