Bridging the gap or widening the divide? Municipal decision-makers’ perceptions of healthcare digitalization in shrinking rural regions

Digital healthcare is expected to address many societal problems, particularly those related to an aging and declining population. It is believed to increase people's well-being and improve health and quality of life by enhancing access to these services, and thus also increase equality. However, many studies have questioned these benefits and suggest that differences in access to and the ability to use digital technologies and services could deepen societal inequalities. How do municipal decision-makers perceive the impacts of healthcare digitalization on accessibility, equality, and local development in shrinking rural regions? To address this question, this study examines the perceptions of municipal decision-makers on the digitalization of public healthcare in rural municipalities with shrinking populations in Finland. This study focuses on the impacts of digitalization at the local level but also recognizes its effects on regional development.