TTeleconsultation Technology and Its Benefits: In the Case of Public Hospitals in Malaysia

The ultimate objectives of this study are to describe teleconsultation activities and explore the benefits of teleconsultation technology in the context of public health care environment in Malaysia. The materials of this study were based on an exploratory mixed method studies involving semi-structured interviews with key informants and questionnaires survey of health care providers to obtain information about existing teleconsultation activities as well as to uncover the benefits of teleconsultation technology. The notable benefits from teleconsultation implementation were further discussed. The findings confirmed that teleconsultation service has improved health care delivery in the underserved areas to consult with specialist. One of the important insights gained from this study was that the store-and-forward teleconsultation was found acceptably feasible and have provided great assistance in the emergency setting. Overall, the results of this study can be used to promote teleconsultation as an effective means in delivering better health services. In respect to theoretical development and future work, the categories that were generated from these studies may be used for the development of perceived benefits and usefulness measurement tools in exploring acceptance and adoption of teleconsultation technology.