Case Study of the Digital Transformation of General Practice

This chapter presents general practice as a critical case study of how digital transformation is reshaping a profession at the core of societal well-being. Once primarily defined by face-to-face consultations and locally based teams, general practice is now being transformed by technologies such as telehealth, AI-driven diagnostics, electronic health records, wearable devices, robotics, integrated data platforms, and large language models. These innovations are redefining how clinicians deliver care, collaborate, and engage with patients, while also exposing inequities in infrastructure, access, and digital literacy. The chapter examines the threats and opportunities digital disruption brings to general practice, before exploring how transformation manifests at multiple levels of the profession and what it requires of diverse stakeholders. Readers will gain a framework for understanding how digital transformation reshapes clinical workflows, professional roles, and values, with lessons that extend well beyond medicine to other professions confronting similar change.