Abstract:
Introduction: The shortage of healthcare professionals, long waiting time for treatment, and inadequate transportation and hard-to-reach geographical locations remained challenging in the health care service delivery in resource-limited settings. To overcome these challenges, healthcare providers are looking to use telemedicine technologies as alternative solution. However, user resistance has consistently been identified as a major obstacle to the successful implementation of telemedicine. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess intention to use telemedicine services and its predictors among healthcare professionals at public Hospitals in North Shewa Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed among total of 627 healthcare professionals working at public hospitals in North Shewa Zone from April 3 to May 1, 2023. The study participants were selected using simple random sampling techniques. The questionnaire was adapted from the original instrument developed by Venkatesh’s study and several studies regarding the UTAUT model. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire in English version. The descriptive statistics was estimated using the SPSS version 25, and Structural equation modelling analysis was employed using AMOS V.21 software.
Results: In this study, 601 (95.85% response rate) study subjects were participated. The study has shown that 315 (52.4%) (95% CI: 48.3-56.5) of the participants intended to use telemedicine in their routine healthcare services. Performance expectancy (β = 0.184, p = 0.001), Effort expectancy (β = 0.183, p < 0.001), Facilitating conditions (β = 0.249, p < 0.001), and Digital literacy (β = 0.403, p < 0.001) has a significant positive effect on an intention to use telemedicine services. Age was moderate facilitating conditions (β = 0.400, p < 0.001), and digital literacy (β = 0.598, p <0.001) with intention to use telemedicine services.
Conclusion: In this study, the healthcare professionals’ intention to use the offered telemedicine was promising for the future. Our research found a significant effects of intention to use telemedicine services with the predictors except social influence. Facilitating conditions, and digital literacy with intention to use were moderated by age. Thus, the health facility
