Investigating the resistance to telemedicine in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND Telemedicine has great potential to improve health care in Africa as well as other developing areas, especially when medical expertise is urgently needed in emergency situations. Yet resistance from healthcare professionals could prevent telemedicine's social value from being materialized. OBJECTIVE This article intends to understand why healthcare providers resist using telemedicine from a threat-control perspective. METHOD A survey on 107 healthcare professionals in Ethiopia was conducted. CONCLUSIONS The resistance to telemedicine is determined by perceived threat and perceived controllability, which in turn are influenced by reduced autonomy, anxiety, and costs. Government support weakens the effect of perceived threat but strengthens the effect of perceived controllability on telemedicine resistance.