Determinants of Telemedicine Adoption Among Patients
Keywords:
adoption factors, healthcare accessibility, patient satisfaction, technology usability, telemedicineAbstract
The rapid advancement of technology has positioned telemedicine as a vital tool for enhancing healthcare accessibility, particularly for underserved populations. This study aims to identify the key determinants influencing telemedicine adoption from the patient's perspective, focusing on three critical factors: patient satisfaction, technology usability, and healthcare accessibility. Utilizing a quantitative research design, the study was conducted in the Davao Region, Philippines, employing descriptive-correlational and causal-comparative methodologies to analyze relationships and potential predictors of telemedicine adoption. Data were collected through four adapted questionnaires measuring the aforementioned variables, ensuring a reliable assessment of patient experiences. The findings reveal that healthcare accessibility is the most significant predictor of telemedicine adoption (p < 0.05), explaining 67.5% of the variance in usage, while patient satisfaction and technology usability did not demonstrate statistical significance. These results emphasize the importance of improving access to telemedicine services to enhance patient engagement and overall satisfaction. Furthermore, they indicate that while usability and satisfaction are relevant, they must be accompanied by increased accessibility to drive adoption effectively. This study contributes to the existing literature by shifting the focus from purely technical aspects of telemedicine to more patient-centered factors, highlighting the need for ongoing research into the barriers and facilitators affecting telemedicine utilization. Addressing these insights can aid healthcare providers and policymakers in developing strategies that better meet the needs of diverse patient populations, ensuring equitable access to healthcare services through telemedicine.
References
Abdulwahab, S. A., & Zedan, H. S. (2021). Factors affecting patient perceptions and satisfaction with telemedicine in outpatient clinics. Journal of Patient Experience, 8,23743735211063780. https://doi.org/10.1177/23743735211063780
Almalki, Z. S., Imam, M. T., Abou Chahin, N. F., Alsammak, N. S., Entabli, S. M., Alhammad, S. K., & Alamer, A. (2023). Access and disparities in the use of telemedicine among patients with chronic conditions in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 16, 3789–3798. https://doi.org/10.2147/jmdh.s433653
Alviani, R., Purwandari, B., Eitiveni, I., & Purwaningsih, M. (2023). Factors affecting adoption of telemedicine for virtual healthcare services in Indonesia. J. Inf. Syst.Eng. Bus. Intell, 9(1), 47-69. https://doi.org/10.20473/jisebi.9.1.47-69
Azalea, I. K. (2022). Causal-Comparative Research (ex post facto research). https://doi.org/10.31237/osf.io/r63f9
Bashshur, R. L., Shannon, G. W., Smith, B. R., & Woodward, M. A. (2016). The empirical foundations of telemedicine interventions in primary care. Telemedicine and e-Health, 22(5), 342–375. https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2016.0045
Caffery, L. J., Farjian, M., & Smith, A. C. (2016). Telehealth interventions for reducing waiting lists and waiting times for specialist outpatient services: A scoping review. Journal of telemedicine and telecare, 22(8), 504-512. https://doi.org/10.1177/1357633x16670495
Camara, C., Peris-Lopez, P., & Tapiador, J. E. (2015). Security and privacy issues in telemedicine. Journal of Medical Systems, 39(8), Article 29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10916-015-0294-4
Eldaly, A. S., Maniaci, M. J., Paulson, M. R., Avila, F. R., Torres-Guzman, R. A., Maita, K., & Forte, A. J. (2022). Patient satisfaction with telemedicine in acute care settings: A systematic review. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 28(3), 146–158.
Flodgren, G., Rachas, A., Farmer, A. J., Inzitari, M., & Shepperd, S. (2015). Interactive telemedicine: Effects on professional practice and health care outcomes. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2015(9), Article CD002098. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd002098.pub2
George, A. S., & George, A. H. (2023). Telemedicine: A New Way to Provide Healthcare. Partners Universal International Innovation Journal, 1(3), 98-129. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8075850
Haleem, A., Javaid, M., Singh, R. P., & Suman, R. (2021). Telemedicine for healthcare: Capabilities, features, barriers, and applications. Sensors international, 2, 100117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sintl.2021.100117
Hoseini-Esfidarjani, S. S., Negarandeh, R., Delavar, F., & Janani, L. (2021). Psychometric evaluation of the perceived access to health care questionnaire. BMC Health Services Research, 21, Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06655-2
Jagarapu, J., & Savani, R. C. (2021, August). A brief history of telemedicine and the evolution of teleneonatology. In Seminars in Perinatology (Vol. 45, No. 5, Article 151416). WB Saunders. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semperi.2021.151416
Klaassen, B., van Beijnum, B. J., & Hermens, H. J. (2016). Usability in telemedicine systems—A literature survey. International journal of medical informatics, 93, 57-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2016.06.004
Kruse, C. S., Krowski, N., Rodriguez, B., Tran, L., Vela, J., & Brooks, M. (2017). Telehealth and patient satisfaction: A systematic review and narrative analysis. BMJ Open, 7(8), Article 016242. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016242
Leelavati, T. S., Madhavi, S., Kamal, G., Raju, P. V. M., Susmitha, K., Vinod, M., & Aminabee, S. (2023). Revolutionizing healthcare delivery: Telemedicine's influence on access and patient satisfaction. International Journal of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences, 24(5), 106–115.
McSwain, S. D., Bernard, J., Burke Jr, B. L., Cole, S. L., Dharmar, M., Hall-Barrow, J., & Yeager, B. (2017). American Telemedicine Association operating procedures for pediatric telehealth. Telemedicine and e-Health, 23(9), 699–706. https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2017.0176
Nguyen, D. D., Nguyen, A. X. L., Bouhadana, D., Bensaadi, K., Peloquin, F., Lattouf, J. B., & Bhojani, N. (2022). Pilot trial of telemedicine in urology: Video vs. telephone consultations. Canadian Urological Association Journal, 16(4), 104–110. https://doi.org/10.5489/cuaj.7508
Nguyen, M., Waller, M., Pandya, A., & Portnoy, J. (2020). A review of patient and provider satisfaction with telemedicine. Current Allergy and Asthma Reports, 20, Article 14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-020-00969-7
Okrah, R. (2021). Examining telemedicine adoption among US patients (Doctoral dissertation). Capitol Technology University. https://www.proquest.com/openview/6bf064e360e770b890b2fb799fe8ae24/1?pqorigsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
Parmanto, B., Lewis Jr, A. N., Graham, K. M., & Bertolet, M. H. (2016). Development of the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ). International Journal of Telerehabilitation, 8(1), 3–10. https://doi.org/10.5195/ijt.2016.6196
Rahi, S., Khan, M. M., & Alghizzawi, M. (2020). Factors influencing the adoption of telemedicine health services during COVID- 19 pandemic crisis: an integrative research model. Enterprise Information Systems, 15(6), 769-793. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17517575.2020.1850872
Serrano, K. M., Mendes, G. H., Lizarelli, F. L., & Ganga, G. M. (2021). Assessing the telemedicine acceptance for adults in Brazil. International journal of health care quality assurance, 34(1), 35-51. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa-06-2020-0098
Shirzadfar, H., & Lotfi, F. (2017). The evolution and transformation of telemedicine. International Journal of Biosensors & Bioelectronics, 3(4), 303–306. https://doi.org/10.15406/ijbsbe.2017.03.00070
Siedlecki, S. L. (2020). Understanding descriptive research designs and methods. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 34(1), 8-12. https://doi.org/10.1097/nur.0000000000000493
Smith, A. C., Thomas, E., Snoswell, C. L., Haydon, H., Mehrotra, A., Clemensen, J., & Caffery, L. J. (2020). Telehealth for global emergencies: Implications for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Journal of telemedicine and telecare, 26(5), 309-313. https://doi.org/10.1177/1357633x20916567
Thomas, D., & Zubkov, P. (2020). Quantitative Research Designs.
Umstead, L. K., & Mayton, H. (2018). Using correlational and causal-comparative research designs in practice: Exploring relations among client variables. In Making research relevant (pp. 95-108). Routledge. ISBN 9781315179353
Vaughan, E. M., Naik, A. D., Lewis, C. M., Foreyt, J. P., Samson, S. L., & Hyman, D. J. (2020). Telemedicine Training and Support for Community Health Workers: Improving Knowledge of Diabetes. Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association, 26(2), 244–250. https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2018.0313
Venkatesh, V., Thong, J. Y., & Xu, X. (2016). Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology: A synthesis and the road ahead. Journal of the association for Information Systems, 17(5), 328-376.
World Health Organization. (2022). WHO-ITU global standard for accessibility of telehealth services. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240050464
Yip, M. P., Chang, A. M., Chan, J., & MacKenzie, A. E. (2023). Development of the Telemedicine Satisfaction Questionnaire to evaluate patient satisfaction with telemedicine: A preliminary study. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 29(1), 46–50. https://doi.org/10.1258/135763303321159693
Zobair, K. M., Sanzogni, L., Houghton, L., & Islam, M. Z. (2021). Forecasting care seekers satisfaction with telemedicine using machine learning and structural equation modeling. PloS one, 16(9), e0257300. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.025730
