An Exploratory Study to Understand the Drivers and Inhibitors for the Successful Adoption of Wireless Technology in Australian Healthcare Systems

Abstract

According to the Australian Department of Health and Aging (n.d.) the adoption of new technologies is crucial in addressing health issues. Currently, wireless technology is used in Australian healthcare with limited scope, addressing specific aspects of quality of service offered to various stakeholders. While prior studies agree that wireless applications have the potential to address the endemic problems of healthcare, very limited information can be found about the determinants of such applications. Therefore, there is a need to identify factors that may assist in the adoption of wireless applications in healthcare and the factors acting as barriers in the uptake of such applications. This chapter reports on a study designed to elicit these factors using a semi structured interview approach and surveys. The study is structured in two specific phases. The first phase involved a semi structured interview with selected healthcare professionals to understand various factors involved in the adoption of wireless applications as applicable to Australian healthcare. The second phase involved administering a survey to generalize the findings of phase one and to capture the views of the wider population.