Exploring Health Managers’ Views of Factors Influencing Their Acceptance of Electronic Health Services in Aseer Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Introduction: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is a country with one of the largest land masses and difficult geographical terrain in the Middle East. Health services across the country are accessible through three categories of providers. The Ministry of Health (MOH) which is the dominant health provider responsible for 60% of all health services and facilities. Private health sector and other government run health authorities are the providers for the remaining 40%. The accessibility to advanced health services, especially for people in rural areas, has been considered one of the main health challenges. Utilising Information and Communication Technology (ICT) including Electronic Health (eHealth) as an innovative approach to healthcare delivery was suggested by recent studies. This study aimed to explore the views of health managers in Aseer Province towards factors that influence their acceptance of eHealth services in the KSA. Methods: In-depth face-to-face and telephone interviews with health managers from Aseer province, KSA were conducted. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) was employed as a theoretical framework in this qualitative study. The UTAUT model consists of four domains: performance expectancy (PE); effort expectancy (EE); social influence (SI); and facilitating conditions (FCs). All factors identified in the interviews were mapped against the UTAUT domains. Microsoft Excel and NVivo were used for the data analysis. Ethical approval had been gained. Results: Twenty-one health managers in Aseer province, KSA were interviewed. The most influential factors that influence health managers acceptance of eHealth services were clustered under four UTAUT domains. Three domains out of four showed significance: PE, SI, and FCs. Conclusion: This study confirmed the influence of some factors on health managers’ acceptance of eHealth services in Aseer province, KSA. Original findings have been generated by exploring eHealth practice in the province which is part of KSA that has not previously been explored in the published eHealth literature. Identifying key challenges in accepting eHealth services may help in clarifying the better utilization of technology and making successful and positive transformational and sustainable change to the delivery of healthcare.