Table 2.
Definition and summary of technologies used in the web-based survey to explore general practitioners’ and medical assistants’ latent dimensions of technology use.
| Type of technology | Abbreviation used for analysis | Characteristics | Technologies already in use |
| Telemedical electrocardiogram (12-lead) | TelECG | Records electronic signals of a patient’s heart to assess the cardiac health status of a patient with the same quality as a stationary 12-point ECGa, but allows remote operation at a patient’s home through MAsb and real-time data transmission to a physician | No |
| Electronic medical record | EMR | Collects and stores patient data electronically; helps to organize and structure medical care in clinical settings | Yes |
| Blood pressure monitor | BPM | Measures the blood pressure of a patient to assess information about a patient’s cardiac or general health status; can be either electronic or manual | Yes |
| Blood coagulation monitor | BCM | Measures the coagulation level of a patient’s blood; often used on patients taking medication to thin their blood after cardiac or neurological incidents | Yes |
| Telemedical stethoscope | TelSteth | Instrument to auscultate heart, lungs, or other body parts of a patient like a stethoscope, but allows remote operation at a patient’s home through MAs and real-time data transmission to a physician | No |
| Mobile venoscope | MobVen | A mobile instrument to detect veins and venation through transillumination; facilitates the puncture of veins | No |
| Smartphone | SP | Mobile phone with computer-like functions, including verbal and text-based communication, internet access, camera use, navigation, and its own operating system | Yes |
| Blood glucose monitor | BGM | Measures the level of glucose in patient’s capillary blood; mainly used on patients with metabolic diseases, especially diabetes | Yes |
| Digital appointment | DA | Audiovisual appointment (video consultation) between patient and general practitioner or patient and MA to digitally assess a patient’s health status | No |
| Infrared thermometer | InfTherm | Measures the body temperature of a patient; indicates inflammatory processes in a patient’s body, for example, infections | Yes |
aECG: electrocardiogram.
bMA: medical assistant.