Introducing Computer-Based Telemedicine in Three Rural Missouri Counties

Abstract

This study investigated predictors of utilization of the computer-based telemedicine in three rural Missouri counties. Participating health care agencies were given computers and access to an Internet-based workstation that provided e-mail and World Wide Web (WWW) services. Utilization data for e-mail messages sent and WWW pages accessed were collected through proxy servers. A survey was distributed to those employees who are enrolled in the Rural Telemedicine Evaluation Project (RTEP), which addressed perceptions of the Internet-based RTEP workstation. The results of the survey were analyzed to see how perceptions and demographic variables predicted actual utilization. The findings of the study revealed that for e-mail, behavioral intentions/attitude, age, organizational support, and time were the most significant predictors. For WWW, only the behavioral intentions/attitude subscale predicted utilization. The majority of respondents did not utilize the e-mail technology. Strategies need to be developed through training interventions and organizational policies to address non-utilization.

A Household Internet Adoption Model Based on Integration of Technology Acceptance Model, Theory of Planned Behavior, and Uses and Gratifications Theory

“…TAM (Davis, 1989) is considered as the most important research model for studying, predicting, and explaining the IT acceptance and usage determinants at the individual level (Chau & Hu, 2001;Harris et al, 2001;Venkatesh & Davis, 2000). Also, Venkatesh et al (2003) tailored it to IS context.…”

“…Also, Venkatesh et al (2003) tailored it to IS context. The TAM provides a foundation to outline the situational and dispositional factors impact on internal beliefs, and behavioral intentions (Harris et al, 2001). According to TAM, the users' behavioral intention to use determines actual system usage which itself is influenced by their internal beliefs (the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use) towards using IT Lin et al, 2007).…”

Information Technology (IT) and the Healthcare Industry

“…E-Health Web portals offer healthcare services and education to people with chronic conditions and to their caregivers (Moody, 2005). Through various telemedicine initiatives, the healthcare industry has reached significant numbers of people living in rural areas, providing access to expert advice and reducing their health risks (Harris, Donaldson, & Campbell, 2001). Web-based patient support systems educate patients and allow them better participation in their own care.…”

The Case of Telepsychiatry Adoption and Diffusion in a Healthcare Organization in New Zealand

“…The business of healthcare has become so competitive that many small rural hospitals are trying to align themselves with larger tertiary care centers in a community health-information network, a telemedicine network, or some other type of partnership in order to survive and to retain their local patients (Huston & Huston, 2000). Within these challenges, telemedicine emerges as one possible solution to NZ health providers, for example, in reaching out to rural patients (Charles, 2000;Harris, Donaldson & Campbell, 2001), in areas where patient volumes for certain services are limited (Edelstein, 1999) in order to conduct administrative and clinical meetings and to conduct different training courses to patients (e.g., smoke treatment centers), doctors, nurses, and other medical staffs (Perednia & Allen, 1995;Wayman, 1994). Therefore, telemedicine improves the access to healthcare services and the overall quality and cost-effectiveness of these services (Guedemann, 2003) and even to a level where telemedicine could be used to promote disease prevention, lifestyle management, and well-being (Lymberis & Olsson, 2003).…”