Acceptance of Teledermatology: Results of a Survey of General Practitioners and Dermatologists in Saxony (Germany)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate acceptance and intention to use teledermatological application by means of a survey of general practitioners and dermatologists in Saxony (Germany). Considering the demographic development in Saxony and the low regional density of medical specialists, this federal state is particularly well suited for conducting a survey dealing with telemedicine. Based on a stratified random selection, 108 physicians were interviewed via self-administered postal or online questionnaire (60 general practitioners and 48 dermatologists, response rate: 23.5%). The theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) was applied to teledermatology. Four central hypotheses were deduced and tested with logistic regressions. The tested hypotheses postulating relationships between performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions and the intention to use teledermatology were partly confirmed. In addition, teledermatology was shown to have potential among Saxon general practitioners, as 9.5% of their patients came to the medical office for treatment of skin diseases; 78% of general practitioners offered skin cancer screenings. The population structure and the low density of medical specialists in Saxony would be favourable prerequisites for the implementation of teledermatology. Survey results failed to show any reservations of general practitioners and dermatologists towards teledermatology.