Background:
The rapid pace of digitalization in healthcare demands continuous learning, as healthcare professionals must constantly adapt to new tools, systems, and processes. Informal workplace learning is crucial in this adaptation, shaped by social interactions, organizational structures, and available technologies. Rural primary care presents both opportunities and challenges in this regard, as healthcare professionals in these settings must often rely on self-directed learning and peer collaboration. E-health technologies hold promise for bridging healthcare gaps, but their successful adoption depends on professionals’ willingness to engage with them. This study explores how workplace affordances influence informal learning among healthcare professionals in rural primary care during the adoption of e-health solutions.

Objectives:
This study aims to identify workplace affordances that support or hinder informal learning in rural primary care and to examine how healthcare professionals engage in learning digital health tools, providing insights to improve learning strategies for e-health adoption in rural healthcare.

Methods:
A qualitative research design was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with 19 healthcare professionals from a rural primary healthcare center in Sweden. Participants included doctors, nurses, psychologists, medical secretaries, assistant nurses, and managers. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes regarding workplace affordances and informal learning in relation to e-health.

Results:
Opportunities and barriers to learning:
Rural primary care fosters an environment rich in informal learning opportunities due to the often complex care needs of rural patients and strong peer collaboration. However, barriers such as heavy workloads, time constraints, and resistance to digital tools limit engagement with e-health technologies. Healthcare professionals highlighted that rurality necessitates broad skill development but leaves limited time for structured digital learning.

Engagement and motivation:
Engagement in learning was found to be highly dependent on the perceived relevance of the subject matter. Informal learning in patient care was driven by intrinsic motivation—immediate problem-solving and knowledge exchange—whereas digital health tools were often seen as imposed, leading to lower engagement. Digital learning was more structured and top-down, contrasting with the spontaneous nature of patient care learning.

Technological affordances:
While e-health tools were seen as beneficial for patients, healthcare professionals expressed concerns about digital literacy among rural patients and the loss of face-to-face interactions. Workplace norms supported informal peer learning but did not integrate digital learning as effectively. Digital adoption was primarily driven by managerial initiatives rather than organic professional engagement.

Conclusion:
This study highlights how workplace affordances shape learning in rural primary care. While rural settings offer strong peer support and opportunities for hands-on learning, digital health adoption remains challenging. To improve engagement, digital learning initiatives should align with clinical workflows, leverage peer learning, and address technological barriers among both professionals and patients. Enhancing workplace affordances for digital learning will be key to facilitating successful e-health adoption in rural healthcare settings.

Keywords: Workplace learning, e-health, rural primary care, affordances.