ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Digit. Health
Sec. Health Technology Implementation
Volume 7 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fdgth.2025.1554199
This article is part of the Research TopicImplementing Digital Twins in Healthcare: Pathways to Person-Centric SolutionsView all 5 articles
Readiness of Health Professionals for Telemedicine Implementation: Multi-centered Cross-Sectional Study In Public Hospitals, South Ethiopia
Provisionally accepted
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia
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The application of telemedicine significantly improves healthcare access and quality. However, its implementation is limited by healthcare professionals' readiness, particularly in low-income countries like Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess healthcare professionals' readiness and identify factors influencing it.Methods: An Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 417 healthcare professionals in six public hospitals in the Gamo zone from July to August 2024. A simple random sampling technique was employed to select the study participants. The data were collected using a Kobo self-administered structured questionnaire and were exported to SPSSv.26 for analysis.Variables with p-values ≤ 0.25 were candidates for multivariable logistic regressions and significance was determined at p-values of < 0.05 at a 95% confidence level.Result: Healthcare professionals' readiness was found to be 68.8%(95%CI: 64.5 % -72.8%).Computer access [AOR: 2.23(95% CI: 1.26-3.93)], having adequate knowledge [AOR: 2.01(95% CI: 1.29-3.41)], having a favorable attitude [AOR: 1.96(95% CI 1.23-3.131)], and being female [AOR: 1.782(95%CI: 1.119-2.840)] were significantly associated with readiness of health professionals.Two-thirds of health professionals were ready for telemedicine implementation. To successfully implement telemedicine, it is crucial to prioritize capacity building, improve IT infrastructure, and involve more female healthcare professionals in the process.
Keywords: readiness, Telemedicine, health professionals, Associated factors, South Ethiopia
Received: 01 Jan 2025; Accepted: 18 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Ibrahim, Sako, Ayele and Glagn. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Yenus Ibrahim, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia
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