Perceptions of Electronic Health Record within digital health services ecosystem and the role of Artificial Intelligence

This ongoing work investigates how citizens engage with digital health services and how these tools support the management of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring. The study explores the role of the Italian Electronic Health Record (EHR) within this evolving ecosystem, comparing its perceived value with privately offered digital health platforms. A qualitative exploratory approach based on focus groups was adopted to identify expectations, barriers and drivers influencing adoption. The analysis generated preliminary thematic categories and highlighted areas that require further empirical testing. Emerging insights suggest patterns of perceived utility, usability gaps, trust dynamics and differing attitudes toward AI-enabled functionalities. Although digital services are appreciated for their functional usefulness, the quest for informational autonomy frequently induces uncertainty and cognitive burden. This ongoing study aims at contributing to a deeper understanding of patient–technology interaction in digital healthcare ecosystems, providing the conceptual groundwork for future quantitative investigations and for the development of user-centred digital health strategies.