Telehealth Readiness of Healthcare Providers during COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess and explore the telehealth readiness of healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted in a government healthcare facility in Saudi Arabia between August and October 2020. The Telehealth Readiness Assessment (TRA) tool was used. Results: A total of 372 healthcare providers participated in this study. Their mean age was 35.5 years (SD = 10.46). The majority of respondents were female (65.6%), nurses (68.0%), married (60.2%), and non-Saudi nationals (64.2%). The analysis shows that healthcare providers generally had moderate-to-high telehealth readiness. Of the five domains, financial contributions had the lowest rating among nurses and physicians, 63.4% and 66.1%, respectively. Gender (β = 7.64, p = 0.001), years of experience in the organization (β = 11.75, p = 0.001), and years of experience in the profession (β = 10.04, p = 0.023) predicted the telehealth readiness of healthcare providers. Conclusion: The telehealth readiness of healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia showed moderate to high levels. The COVID-19 pandemic poses a catastrophic threat to both patients and healthcare providers. Assessing telehealth readiness should include both patients and healthcare provider factors. A better understanding of the factors of organizational readiness, particularly healthcare providers, could help avoid costly implementation errors.

Health Care Professionals’ Understanding and Perceptions of Telemedicine in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review

“…A total of twelve articles were included in the review for having met the inclusion considerations Albarrak et al, 2021;Alghamdi et al, 2022;Aloyuni et al, 2020;Alqurashi et al, 2023;Bashir & Bastola, 2018;Bashir et al, 2023;Moussa et al, 2023;Ullah et al, 2021;Idriss et al, 2022;. The articles conformed to two methodologies -one mixed research and the rest applied the quantitative design.…”

“…The perception and attitude towards the use of telemedicine depends on many factors noted in the literature articles, including age of the healthcare workers , gender and years of experience (Moussa et al, 2023). According to Ahmed et al ( 2021), younger healthcare staff had better attitude compared to the senior colleagues.…”

“…Two barriers were noted; technological limitations and diagnostic reliability. 9 Moussa et al (2023) To examine the readiness of telemedicine among healthcare staff.…”

Assessing Telemedicine Competency Among Doctors in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study

“…For instance, studies from China [ 11 ], Saudi Arabia [ 10 ], and India [ 12 ] show varying levels of telemedicine readiness and receptivity, owing to disparities in healthcare systems and digital infrastructure. Similar studies have been conducted with healthcare professionals and students in a variety of countries, such as Saudi Arabia [ 13 ], Indonesia [ 14 ], Pakistan [ 15 ], and the United Arab Emirates [ 16 ].…”

Digital Health Innovations in the Battle against COVID-19: A Global Perspective

“…Camacho-Leon et al [ 15 ] provide a narrative review of telemedicine adoption in Latin America during the pandemic. Lastly, Moussa et al [ 16 ] examine the telehealth readiness of healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia, finding moderate to high levels of readiness, with financial contributions being a concern for nurses and physicians. Understanding healthcare providers’ readiness is crucial for successful telehealth implementation.…”