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Opening the Digital Frontdoor: Person-Centred Digital Health to Support Communities and Primary Care

Steven VAN DE VIJVER, Ana Luisa NEVES, Edmond LI and Joanna FERREIRA TEIXEIRA

Digital health is rapidly changing how people interact with primary care. Information, decision-support and navigation tools are moving closer to citizens, who increasingly expect accessible, personalised and timely support. At the same time, primary care systems face growing pressure due to ageing populations, increasing multimorbidity and workforce shortages. Person-centred digital solutions offer opportunities to support self-management, preventive behaviours and shared decision-making, while helping to use limited resources more effectively. One emerging approach is the Digital Frontdoor: a digital entry point that supports citizens at their first contact with the health system. Typical user-facing functions include symptom checkers, structured intake and consent tools, appointment planning, self-care guidance and links to primary care, community and social services. Increasingly, these tools are supported by generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), enabling more personalised guidance, effective triage and appropriate referrals. When well designed and embedded in care pathways, Digital Frontdoors can improve citizen experiences while supporting sustainable primary care workflows. To realise this potential, digital innovations must be usable, trustworthy, inclusive and aligned with clinical and community-based care. International exchange of experiences and lessons learned is therefore essential. The Amsterdam Digital Frontdoor provides one practical example, alongside other emerging person-centred digital health models relevant across diverse contexts.- Explore how person-centred design strengthens digital primary care – Present the Amsterdam Digital Frontdoor as a best-practice case – Identify benefits, challenges and contextual factors influencing implementation – Exchange international examples and lessons learned in person-centred digital primary careAfter a short introduction, facilitators will present the Digital Frontdoor concept and case example. Participants will discuss benefits, challenges and comparable initiatives in small groups, followed by a plenary synthesis.Participants will gain practical insights into how person-centred digital tools can strengthen primary care and improve system responsiveness. Key themes will be synthesised into actionable recommendations, and hopefully potential publication.This workshop will support shared learning on how person-centred tools like Digital Frontdoors and related innovations can contribute to more equitable, effective primary health care.