Factors affecting the implementation of telenursing in Korea

The purpose of this study is to deduce and prioritize the factors affecting the implementation of telenursing in Korea. For this study, Delphi methods were used. Thirty professors and specialists in the field of nursing informatics and telemedicine contributed to two rounds of Delphi survey. The factors necessary for the introduction of telenursing were divided into systematic, economical, societal and technical aspects. The critical factors of each aspect were prioritized to produce a guide to support the feasible implementation plan for telenursing. They are: Governmental support to control the regulatory issues, verification of telenursing as a cost-effective health care delivery system, value verification of telenursing versus on-site consultation, social trust building, and development of characteristic telenursing content which consumers willingly pay for. The results of this study will enable health professionals to understand the prospect and necessity of telenursing implementation. In addition, they will be used efficiently in a variety of e-health milieus as a practical strategy for the improvement of health care in Korea.