Objective To examine occupational health care professionals’ experiences of the usability and usefulness of digital work tools (customer portals) and identify factors associated with these perceptions. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among OHC professionals in Finland (n = 95). Usability was assessed using 14 statements based on Nielsen’s dimensions, and usefulness with 15 statements derived from the Technology Acceptance Model. Responses were recorded on a five-point Likert scale. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and non-parametric tests to explore associations with background factors. Results Usability was generally rated positively, particularly in terms of ease of use, clarity of information presentation and data security. Usefulness was considered highest for supporting collaboration and speeding up service delivery, but the portals do not appear to sufficiently support obtaining an overall picture of work ability and working conditions, nor the monitoring of agreed measures. Good user skills and satisfaction with use were strongly associated with higher ratings (p < 0.001). Conclusions Customer portals support individual-level collaboration effectively but require development to strengthen workplace-level information management. Enhancing functionalities and addressing user needs across professional groups are essential for improving the customer portals’ role in occupational health care professionals.
Nissinen et al. (2026) studied this question.