Exploring Patients’ Intentions for Usage of Video Telemedicine Follow-Up Services: Cross-Sectional Study

Background:Data suggest that regarding completion rates and lower readmission rates, video telemedicine follow-up is as efficient as in-person consultations. However, evidence of patients’ intention to adopt such service is lacking. The objective of this study was to determine the essential factors influencing Chinese patients’ intention to adopt video telemedicine follow-up.

Methods:The researchers extended the technology acceptance model (TAM) by incorporating trust, subjective norms (SNs), perceived risk (PR), and perceived disease threat (PDT). A survey was conducted with 793 Chinese patients, and the collected data were analyzed using the partial least-squares approach.

Results:The study revealed that trust emerged as the strongest factor influencing patients’ behavioral intention (BI) to use video telemedicine follow-up, followed by SNs, perceived ease of use (PEOU), and perceived usefulness (PU). PR and PDT had no significant influence on patients’ intention to adopt video telemedicine follow-up. PEOU mediated the relationship between trust, SNs, and BI, and PU mediated the relationship between trust and BI. The study also found that gender, age, and usage experience moderated certain relationships in the model.

Conclusions:Our findings support the use of the extended TAM in understanding individual’s motivations for using video telemedicine follow-up in China. In addition, this study contributes to the existing literature on telemedicine promotion by identifying significant mediation mechanisms. These findings have practical implications for planning, creating, and implementing improved video telemedicine follow-up services.