Perception of emerging technology-based medical services among Astana IT University students
A quantitative study of 391 Astana IT University students reveals that electronic appointment systems and AI chatbots are perceived as highly effective emerging medical services, whereas video consultations have a lesser impact, thereby supporting the implementation of a tailored university medical platform.
Original paper licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This is an AI-generated explanation of the paper below. It is not written or endorsed by the authors. For technical accuracy, refer to the original paper. Read full disclaimer
In the modern university, the student experience is no longer just about lectures and libraries; it is increasingly defined by how well an institution cares for the physical and mental well-being of its population. As digital tools reshape almost every sector of society, healthcare is undergoing a quiet revolution. This shift involves moving away from paper files and waiting rooms toward systems that use computers to manage appointments, answer questions, and even connect patients with doctors remotely. These emerging technologies promise to make medical care faster and more accessible, but their success depends entirely on whether the people using them actually trust and like them. For a university, understanding this trust is critical. If students find these digital tools confusing or unhelpful, the technology fails its purpose, regardless of how advanced it is. The question is not just whether the technology works, but whether the people it is meant to serve feel that it works for them.
Researchers at Astana IT University in Kazakhstan set out to answer this specific question by looking at the perceptions of their own student body. They focused on three specific digital tools that are becoming common in healthcare: systems that allow patients to book appointments online without calling, artificial intelligence chatbots that can answer medical questions, and video calls that let students speak with specialists without leaving their dorms. To understand how these tools were received, the researchers conducted a large-scale survey. They asked 391 students to share their views on these technologies, gathering enough data to see clear patterns in how the students felt. The goal was to move beyond guesswork and determine which of these digital innovations actually improved the student experience and which ones might need more work.
The study revealed a clear divide in how students viewed these different technologies. The electronic appointment system, which allows students to schedule doctor visits through a website or app, emerged as a major success. The data showed that students strongly believed this tool made scheduling easier and more efficient. Similarly, the AI chatbot, a program designed to answer health-related questions automatically, was also viewed very positively. Students felt that this tool was effective for getting quick answers to their medical queries, suggesting that they appreciated the speed and convenience of having a digital assistant available at any time. These two findings were statistically significant, meaning the positive opinions were strong and consistent across the group, not just a matter of chance.
However, the story was different for video consultations. While the idea of talking to a doctor via a video call is often seen as a convenient alternative to visiting a clinic in person, the students in this study did not share that enthusiasm to the same degree. The research found that video consultations had a much smaller impact on how students perceived the overall quality of medical services. The data indicated that this method was not seen as a valuable replacement for in-person visits in the way the researchers had hoped. In fact, the study concluded that there was not enough evidence to say that video calls played a meaningful role in shaping the students' positive views on digital health. This suggests that while students are ready to use technology for booking and asking questions, they may still prefer face-to-face interaction when it comes to actual medical advice.
Based on these findings, the researchers proposed a practical solution: a new medical platform called AITUMED, tailored specifically for the university. This platform would prioritize the features that students found most useful, such as the electronic booking system and the AI chatbot, while treating video consultations as a secondary feature. The prototype for this system includes additional tools like a symptom tracker and a way to manage medical certificates, all designed to fit the specific needs of the student population. The researchers noted that while the technology offers great potential, its success relies on careful implementation. They pointed out that challenges remain, such as the need to train staff and ensure that the digital infrastructure is robust enough to handle the demand.
The study concludes that the path forward for university healthcare is not simply about adding more technology, but about choosing the right tools that students are willing to use. The results suggest that convenience and automation are the key drivers of student engagement. When students can book an appointment or get an answer to a question quickly and easily, their trust in the system grows. However, the hesitation around video calls serves as a reminder that technology must be introduced thoughtfully. As universities continue to digitize their health services, they must listen to the people they serve, ensuring that the tools they build are not just advanced, but also genuinely helpful and trusted by the students who rely on them.
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