This chapter aimed to determine the factors of e-health accepting behavior among the physicians of developing countries. A cross-sectional survey questionnaire method was used for collecting data of this study. To analyze the data the study used structural equation modeling (SEM) with the partial least square (PLS) approach. The findings suggested that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and personal innovativeness had a significant impact on the behavioral intention to use e-health and also the behavioral intention had a significant impact on the actual use behavior of e-health of the physicians. Facilitating conditions had neither a significant impact on behavioral intention nor the actual use behavior of e-health of the physicians. The findings of this study would facilitate the degree of more acceptance of e-health technologies by the physicians for their own betterment and a new chapter of knowledge in the research area.
TopIntroduction
E-Health is comparatively a new term, barely in use before 1999, which is now seems to serve as a general “buzzword” used to characterize not only “Internet medicine” but also virtually everything related to computers and medicine (Eysenbach, 2001). The term was apparently first used by industry leaders and marketing people rather than academicians. They created and used this term in line with other “e-words” such as e-commerce, e-business, e-solutions, and so on, in an attempt to convey the promises, principles, excitement to the health arena and to give an account of the new possibilities of the internet to the area of health care (Eysenbach, 2001). Nessa et al. (2006) defines that e-Health refers to the use of information and communication technology to provide and support health care mainly for the purpose of providing consultation. It is also a way to provide medical procedures or examinations to remote locations. e-Health is an emerging field in the intersection of medical informatics, public health and business, referring to health services and information delivered or enhanced through the internet and related technologies. In a broader sense, the term characterizes not only a technical development, but also a state-of-mind, a way of thinking, an attitude, and a commitment for networked, global thinking, to improve health care locally, regionally, and worldwide by using information and communication technology.
Infrastructural deficiencies, limited access to medicare, and shortage of health care workers are just a few of the barriers to health care in developing countries. Which result the burden of disease and its incredible impact on the livelihoods of people. E-Health has been described as one possible solution to overcome these barriers (Eze, Gleasure, & Heavin, 2016). It has been shown to be effective measures to reduce costs and improve the quality in the public health sector (Ramtohul, 2015).E-Health applications are being widely deployed across the globe to provide healthcare to remote locations (Mostafa et al, 2010). It is increasingly needed due to the postulation that it improves effectiveness and efficiency of health services (Lang and Mertes, 2011). In developing countries, e-Health is particularly important due to a shortage of physician and medical workers, infrastructural problems and disparity between urban and rural citizens (Hoque et al., 2014; Fulton et al., 2011; Naicker et al., 2009). It has the potential to improve both the quality and the access to health care services delivery while lowering costs even in the scarcity of resources (Nessa et al, 2006). A recent report has shown the importance of e-Health in reducing the number of readmissions for patients suffering from many chronic health problems (De Toledo, et al. 2006). e-Health can also help in keeping track of patients. Gravelle and Sicilian (2008) indicated that if wireless networks could provide the help to a treatment process of patients in hospitals, the outcome of healthcare would be effectively increased. Moreover, it can reduce the long-term cost of healthcare and result in an increased productivity of healthcare providers. To support the long-term healthcare needs of patients, e-Health solutions must be developed for the homes, nursing homes, and hospitals (Hung & Zhang,2003; Pollard, Rohman & Fry, 2001; Varady, Benyo & Benyo, 2002).