Patient-Centered Care in the Digital Era: Social Representations of Technology and Care Pathways among Nursing and Health Technology Students in ISPITS-Casablanca/Morocco

The integration of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare practices and care pathways. However, the perceptions of these tools by future healthcare professionals remain poorly documented, particularly in the Moroccan context. This study aims to analyze the social representations of digital health and AI among students in nursing and health technology programs in Casablanca.

An exploratory qualitative methodology was adopted, combining semi-structured interviews and focus groups with a sample of students. The results indicate that students perceive technology as a lever to facilitate access to information, improve the efficiency of care pathways, and enhance the quality of interventions. At the same time, they express concerns regarding ethics, the patient–professional relationship, and accountability in the use of AI.

These findings highlight a dual register of expectations and apprehensions: enthusiasm for innovation alongside vigilance regarding social and professional impacts. This communication emphasizes the importance of training and raising awareness among students on technological and human issues, to ensure responsible and patient-centered adoption of digital tools.

This contribution provides a sociological perspective on the integration of technologies in health education and offers insights for guiding the development of digital care pathways that are responsive to the needs and perceptions of future healthcare professionals.