A Framework for Implementation of Telemedicine

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While there is wide implementation of telemedicine in developed economies, other countries lag behind. However, for more than a decade, some of these countries have recognized the potential benefits of information and communication technology (ICT) in the delivery of health care. There is an urgent need for an understanding of telemedicine implementation issues affecting various nations, as Telemedicine systems innovations and implementation initiatives are still in their early stages, albeit with a lot of struggles in these countries. The purpose of this study is to develop a framework for implementation of Telemedicine systems. The study considered both qualitative and quantitative data that was collected from hospitals in three counties within Kenya, and then finally, a framework for the implementation of telemedicine was proposed. The study provides some key insights into the implementation of Telemedicine systems in public hospitals and, to some extent, in private hospitals in Developing Countries. Having contextualized the implementation of telemedicine, the study concluded from the findings that Telemedicine implementation is an all-encompassing process that is predicated on policy and legislation issues, organizational issues, social and technological factors, and as such, for successful implementation, careful consideration of all these is fundamental