The effects of the digital divide

The internet has transformed healthcare access. Health websites describe medicines, explain common illnesses, advise on self-treatment for minor conditions, and flag when a doctor visit is necessary. Many GP surgeries now let patients book appointments online, receive text reminders, and order repeat prescriptions through a website. Private medicines can even be purchased from online pharmacies. For those with reliable internet access, this is enormously convenient.

For those without, every one of those benefits disappears. But the digital divide in health goes beyond just websites. Hospitals now use portable online computer systems — X-rays are accessed digitally, patient charts are stored on computers wheeled to bedsides, and nurses record pulse rate, temperature, and blood pressure directly onto digital systems. Not all hospitals can afford this technology, and patients in wealthier urban hospitals benefit far more from these systems than those in underfunded or rural ones.

Doctors who work from home can access patient records remotely — but only if they have a reliable broadband connection. A doctor in a rural area with poor connectivity is limited in what they can do. The conclusion the textbook draws directly: patients in more affluent urban areas are more likely to benefit from these health systems than those in rural or poorer areas.

• Cannot access health websites to find information on illnesses, medicines, or self-treatment
• Cannot book GP appointments online, set up reminders, or order prescriptions remotely
• Cannot buy medicines from online pharmacies
• Rural doctors with poor broadband cannot access patient records from home
• Patients in less well-funded or rural hospitals miss out on digital ward systems

have the quality of broadband available