Yajiong Xue1, Huigang Liang2, Victor Mbarika3, Richard Hauser1, Paul Schwager1, Mequanint Kassa Getahun4. 1. College of Business, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, United States. 2. College of Business, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, United States. Electronic address: huigang.liang@gmail.com. 3. Southern University and The ICT University USA, Baton Rouge, LA 70807, United States. 4. Bole Sub City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Telemedicine has great potential to improve health care in Africa as well as other developing areas, especially when medical expertise is urgently needed in emergency situations. Yet resistance from healthcare professionals could prevent telemedicine's social value from being materialized. OBJECTIVE: This article intends to understand why healthcare providers resist using telemedicine from a threat-control perspective. METHOD: A survey on 107 healthcare professionals in Ethiopia was conducted. CONCLUSIONS: The resistance to telemedicine is determined by perceived threat and perceived controllability, which in turn are influenced by reduced autonomy, anxiety, and costs. Government support weakens the effect of perceived threat but strengthens the effect of perceived controllability on telemedicine resistance.
BACKGROUND: Telemedicine has great potential to improve health care in Africa as well as other developing areas, especially when medical expertise is urgently needed in emergency situations. Yet resistance from healthcare professionals could prevent telemedicine's social value from being materialized. OBJECTIVE: This article intends to understand why healthcare providers resist using telemedicine from a threat-control perspective. METHOD: A survey on 107 healthcare professionals in Ethiopia was conducted. CONCLUSIONS: The resistance to telemedicine is determined by perceived threat and perceived controllability, which in turn are influenced by reduced autonomy, anxiety, and costs. Government support weakens the effect of perceived threat but strengthens the effect of perceived controllability on telemedicine resistance.
Authors: Allison Gossen; Beth Mehring; Brian S Gunnell; Karen S Rheuban; David C Cattell-Gordon; Kyle B Enfield; Costi D Sifri Journal: Ann Am Thorac Soc Date: 2020-06