Patient satisfaction in the digital health era: Digital literacy and digital inclusion perspective under the Donabedian framework

Abstract

The digital transformation of healthcare services is redefining how information is accessed and evaluated by citizens. While organizational progress is often measured by technical maturity, this study shifts the focus to the user’s perspective. Grounded in the Donabedian framework (Structure-Process-Outcome), we investigate how Digital Maturity (Structure) and Information Literacy/Inclusion (Process) culminate in Patient Satisfaction (Outcome). Using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with a sample of 212 participants, the results reveal that maturity acts as a catalyst for literacy, but satisfaction is strictly dependent on effective digital inclusion. This paper contributes to ‘Healthcare for Information’ by highlighting that technological infrastructure alone is insufficient without a robust healthcare strategy for health information users.