Mensah Nathan Kumasenu, Adzakpah Godwin, Kissi Jonathan, Boadu Richard Okyere, Lasim Obed Uwumbornyi, Oyenike Martha Khainde, Bart-Plange Abigail, Dalaba Maxwell Ayindenaba, Sukums Felix
Department of Health Information Management, School of Allied Health Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
Institute of Health Research, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana.
Heliyon. 2023 Mar;9(3):e14501. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14501. Epub 2023 Mar 17.
Telemedicine, which is the practice of medicine using technology to deliver health care remotely, has a low adoption rate in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, the advent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has forced healthcare systems in these settings to begin implementing telemedicine programs. It is unknown how prepared health professionals and the healthcare system are to adopt this technology. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the readiness of health professionals and explore factors associated with telemedicine implementation in Ghana.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in six health facilities between March and August 2021. Convenience sampling was used to select the six health facilities, and the participants were selected randomly for the study. Questionnaires were self-completed by participants. Data was exported into STATA 15.0 for analysis, and appropriate statistical methods were employed. All statistical tests were performed at a significance level of p < 0.05.
Of the 613 health professionals involved in the study, about 579 (94.5%) were comfortable using computers, and the majority, 503 (82.1%) of them, had access to computers at the workplace. Health professionals agreed that the measures outlined by the health facilities supported their readiness to use telemedicine for healthcare services. Analysis revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between health facilities' core readiness and health professionals' readiness, with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.5484 and a p-value<0.0001. Of the factors associated with health professionals' readiness towards telemedicine implementation, facility core readiness, engagement readiness, staff knowledge and attitude readiness showed a statistically significant relationship with health professionals' readiness.
The study revealed that health professionals are ready to adopt telemedicine. There was a statistically significant relationship between health facilities' core readiness, engagement readiness, staff knowledge and attitude readiness, and health professionals' readiness. The study identified factors facilitating telemedicine adoption.
远程医疗是利用技术远程提供医疗保健服务的医疗实践，在低收入和中等收入国家（LMICs）的采用率较低。然而，2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）的出现迫使这些地区的医疗系统开始实施远程医疗项目。目前尚不清楚卫生专业人员和医疗系统对采用这项技术的准备程度如何。因此，本研究旨在评估加纳卫生专业人员的准备情况，并探讨与远程医疗实施相关的因素。
2021年3月至8月在六个卫生机构进行了一项横断面研究。采用便利抽样法选择这六个卫生机构，并随机选择参与者进行研究。问卷由参与者自行填写。数据被导出到STATA 15.0进行分析，并采用了适当的统计方法。所有统计检验均在p<0.05的显著性水平上进行。
在参与研究的613名卫生专业人员中，约579人（94.5%）习惯使用计算机，其中大多数人，即503人（82.1%）在工作场所可以使用计算机。卫生专业人员一致认为，卫生机构概述的措施有助于他们准备好使用远程医疗提供医疗服务。分析显示，卫生机构的核心准备情况与卫生专业人员的准备情况之间存在统计学上显著的正相关关系，相关系数（r）为0.5484，p值<0.0001。在与卫生专业人员对远程医疗实施的准备情况相关的因素中，机构核心准备情况、参与准备情况、工作人员知识和态度准备情况与卫生专业人员的准备情况存在统计学上显著的关系。
该研究表明卫生专业人员已准备好采用远程医疗。卫生机构的核心准备情况、参与准备情况、工作人员知识和态度准备情况与卫生专业人员的准备情况之间存在统计学上显著的关系。该研究确定了促进远程医疗采用的因素。
