Willingness to Try a New Communication Technology: Perceptual Factors and Task Situations in a Health Care Context

Abstract

The study uses data from a study of telemedicine in two rural, Ohio (United States) counties to test predictions about individuals'stated intent to receive medical care through videoconferencing. The authors follow communication scholars in predicting that the perceived attributes of a new technology will significantly affect willingness to try the technology. They draw on the work of marketing scholars to argue that task situations (e.g., routine, emergency, and specialist medical care) will affect the relative importance of the perceived attributes. Results supported both predictions. The authors believe that the results have practical value for those seeking to encourage the use of telemedicine and, furthermore, that the results have both theoretical and practical implications for business communication scholars and professionals.

The adoption of e-health services: Comprehensive analysis of the adoption setting from the user׳s perspective

“…These are consistent with the general knowledge in the area of adoption research [36]. There, the focus lies especially on the determinants concerning the service itself and the potential user [8,9,12,13,37,38]. Drivers like the health need as well as the interactional behavior and need constitute an extension of the general adopter-related category.…”

The Practice: An Analysis of the Factors Influencing the Training of Health Care Participants through Innovative Technology

“…Telemedicine is an area that explores electronic communication that may be beneficial for health care consumers (Turner, 2003;Turner, Thomas, & Reinsch, 2004). Matusitz and Breen (2007) defined telemedicine as ''the use of distant communication technologies within the context of clinical health care, and the effects it has on health communication' ' (p. 73).…”

“…Past research on telemedicine incorporates different theories to help understand how physicians use new technology. Diffusion of innovations theory provides a way to understand how providers adopt technology such as telemedicine, as well as explain the successes and failures of telemedicine implementation (Gabor, Dutta-Bergman, Agarwal, & Whitten, 2006;Turner et al, 2004). In this section, a brief overview of diffusion of innovations will be provided, followed by identifying specific barriers and solutions to successful diffusion of new technologies, in this case, telemedicine.…”

“…Barriers created by organizational structures in health care are one of the factors that make it difficult for telemedicine to be adopted (Whitten & Rowe-Adjibogoun, 2003). Researchers have studied telemedicine in terms of this theory and focused on the persuasion stage of the model (Turner et al, 2004). Results indicated that the greater perceived relative advantage and compatibility would lead to higher intent to adopt (Turner et al, 2004).…”

“…Researchers have studied telemedicine in terms of this theory and focused on the persuasion stage of the model (Turner et al, 2004). Results indicated that the greater perceived relative advantage and compatibility would lead to higher intent to adopt (Turner et al, 2004). As a result, it is important to focus on knowledge in an educational setting.…”