Clinical usefulness of handheld wireless technology in healthcare

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to investigate the drivers and inhibitors of clinical usefulness of handheld wireless technology in healthcare domain in Australia and India. Because of cultural differences in these two countries the paper also attempts to show how a cross‐national study of this nature can be carefully designed and undertaken to produce useful results.Design/methodology/approachA mixed‐method research design was used in this study. First, qualitative approach was used to develop the list of drivers and inhibitors in Australia and India via interviews and a research model was developed. This was then followed by a quantitative approach where questionnaire was developed and distributed to 300 health professionals each in both Australia and India. The collected data were analysed using a combination of optimal scaling and partial least square (PLS) techniques.FindingsThe result of the study was very interesting. The PLS application to the raw data did not support any of the hypotheses. As the study was cross‐national optimal scaling procedure were used to standardize the data and then PLS used again. It was then revealed that for Australia inhibitors significantly influence the clinical usefulness of handheld wireless technology while the drivers do not. However, for India the drivers significantly influence the clinical usefulness but the inhibitors do not. Possible reasons for such contrasting results are highlighted in the paper.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample size although appropriate for the tools used was a bit on the low side. The study did not follow up with representative respondents from Australia and India to get a deeper understanding of the results.Originality/valueThis study is original in the way the research model was developed from ground up. Our approach can be used for similar research. The study also makes original contribution in terms of designing an appropriate research approach for cross‐national study and how various data analyses tools can be used effective for meaningful outcomes.