How Resource Scarcity and Accessibility Affect Patients’ Usage of Mobile Health in China: Resource Competition Perspective

Abstract

Background The last decade has witnessed many achievements in China’s health care industry, but the industry still faces major challenges among which the uneven distribution of medical resources and the imbalance between supply and demand are the most pressing problems. Although mobile health (mHealth) services play a significant role in mitigating problems associated with health care delivery, their adoption rates have been low. Objective The objective of this study was to explore the impact of resource scarcity and resource accessibility on the adoption of mHealth from the perspective of resource competition, to examine the concerning factors, and to provide a theoretical basis for promoting mHealth in China. Methods We used 229,516 original registration records of outpatients to conduct an empirical analysis to examine the adoption of mHealth services from the perspective of resource competition. Results The adoption rate of mobile services for outpatients was low, accounting for only 31.5% (N=71,707). The empirical results indicated that resource scarcity (beta=.435, P=.01) and accessibility (beta=−.134, P=.02) have a significant impact on the adoption of mHealth. In addition, gender (beta=.073, P=.01) and age (beta=−.009, P<.001) are significantly related to adoption of mHealth. Experience with mHealth has a moderating role in the relationship between resource scarcity (beta=−.129, P=.02), accessibility (beta=.138, P=.04), and adoption of mHealth. Conclusions In this study we demonstrate that the external environment (resource scarcity and resource accessibility) has a significant impact on the adoption of mHealth. This study also demonstrates that experience with mHealth has a moderating role in the relationship between the elements of the external environment. Finally, we confirm that mHealth is a key factor in the delivery and allocation of medical resources and provide a theoretical basis for government agencies to develop policies on mHealth.

Determinants of Patients’ Intention to Use the Online Inquiry Services Provided by Internet Hospitals: Empirical Evidence From China

“…Internet hospitals, owing to the integration of a large number of high-quality medical resources across the country could competently fulfill the increasing patient demands for high-quality health services. It is difficult for patients in rural and remote areas of China to access high-quality health services [ 4 , 5 ]. Thus, internet hospitals should be dedicated to enhance the awareness of individuals regarding disease vulnerability and emphasize the advantages of online inquiry services to change the indifferent attitude and distrust of certain people toward the online inquiry services provided by internet hospitals.…”

“…In China, many people complain about the “difficulty of seeing a doctor” and tend to go to high-level hospitals even for mild symptoms [ 3 ]. It is difficult for patients in rural and remote areas to access high-quality health services owing to an uneven distribution of medical resources [ 4 , 5 ]; moreover, the time spent by physicians on communicating with each patient is limited, usually less than 3 minutes in outpatient departments in large hospitals [ 6 ]. A latest national health services survey showed the rate of chronic diseases in Chinese residents was up to 245.2 person per thousand population, and the majority of the common chronic diseases were hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease [ 7 ].…”

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A Study of the Spatial Network Structure of the Health Economy in China: Benefits and Spillover Effects on Patient Mobility

“…Absolute inequalities of health resources increased, while that of health utilization remained constant following China's health care reform [28]. China is a developing country with a massive population and still faces many challenges in the distribution of regional medical resources, including the uneven distribution of medical resources and an imbalance between supply and demand [29]. As a result, imbalances in regional medical resources may lead to patient mobility, and this mobility has gradually shifted toward central cities in eastern provinces, increasing the pressure on these cities.…”

Exploring the Determinants of Mobile Health Adoption by Hospitals in China: Empirical Study

“…Chinese hospitals have begun to take up mHealth to deliver health care services [ 3 , 9 , 12 , 13 ]. Most emerging literature focuses on patients’ adoption of mHealth services.…”