Determinants of Telehealth Continuance Intention: A Multi-Perspective Framework

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Behavioral Science
• Technology Adoption

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated global adoption of telehealth services by physicians.
• Understanding the factors influencing telehealth system adoption is crucial for healthcare providers.
• Existing models like TPB, TAM, and SDT offer frameworks for analyzing technology acceptance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To integrate the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to investigate telehealth system adoption.
• To identify key determinants influencing physicians' intention to continue using telehealth.
• To explore the mediating roles of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and attitude in telehealth adoption.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenient sample of residents in Nantou County, Taiwan.
• Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the integrated theoretical framework.
• Data were collected to assess relationships between psychological constructs and telehealth adoption intention.

Main Results:

• Attitude, perceived behavioral control, perceived usefulness, and perceived autonomy support positively influenced continuance intention.
• Perceived autonomy support, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness significantly impacted attitude towards telehealth.
• Perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and attitude were confirmed as significant mediators in the adoption process.

Conclusions:

• Physician attitudes, perceived control, usefulness, and autonomy support are critical for sustained telehealth engagement.
• Improving perceived ease of use and usefulness can enhance positive attitudes toward telehealth systems.
• Findings offer insights for healthcare organizations to optimize telehealth implementation and user experience.