E-prescribing systems hold promise for improving the quality and efficiency of the scripting process. Yet, the use of the technology has been associated with a number of challenges. The diffusion of e-prescribing into physician practices and the consequent realisation of its potential benefits will depend on whether physicians are willing to accept and engage with the technology. This study draws on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and recent literature on user trust in technology to develop and test a model of the factors influencing South African physicians’ acceptance of e-prescribing. Data was collected from a sample of 72 physicians. Results indicate a general acceptance of e-prescribing amongst physicians who on average reported strong intentions to use e-prescribing technologies if given the opportunity. PLS analysis revealed that physicians’ performance expectancies and perceptions of facilitating conditions had significant direct effects on acceptance whilst trust and effort expectancy had important indirect effects. Social influence and price value perceptions did not add additional explanatory power. The model explained 63% of the variation in physician acceptance.

Access to digitally connected living should support social and economic inclusion and provide opportunities for people to improve their quality of life. Yet evidence linking digital access and quality of life is lacking. We contribute by examining the relationship between quality of life and the extent to which individuals have accessed the Internet and whether they own their devices and connectivity. The dataset covers 27 490 individuals living in the Gauteng City-Region of South Africa. Results show that after controlling for other factors, individuals who are digitally connected exhibit significantly larger scores on quality of life indicators than individuals without access. However, 95% of individuals without access are from households below the median income category, and the odds of access are 9.85 times as large as for above median income than for those below median income. Thus, digitally connected living depends on, and cannot be disentangled from, preexisting opportunities for social and economic inclusion.

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Self-Service Technologies (SSTs) enable consumers to produce services independent of direct employee involvement. The successful introduction of SSTs into healthcare and the realisation of their benefits will however lie in their acceptance by patients. This chapter outlines the advantages and disadvantages of one type of SST, namely self-service hospital kiosks, and presents results of an empirical study carried out on the willingness of patients to use them. Data was collected from 192 patients attending two private healthcare clinics in Johannesburg, South Africa. Results show that patients are most willing to use kiosk technologies for administrative rather than diagnostic or treatment-related services. Moreover, the authors find that technology anxiety, self-efficacy beliefs, trust, and need for interaction are important antecedents to the formulation of performance and effort expectancies and the willingness of patients to use kiosk technology. Results have implications for healthcare providers looking to improve the success of their SST applications.