Telemedicine operational feasibility in selected hospitals of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 1393

Abstract

Context: According to W.H.O., the vision of Health for everyone in 21 st Century, a big challenge which all human communities face is access to healthcare facilities with a high-quality for everyone. Aims: This article aimed to investigate telemedicine operational feasibility in the selected hospitals of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 1393. Settings and Design: This research was performed in the selected hospitals and health centers of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Subjects and Methods: This applied research was a cross-sectional descriptive study, which was performed to determine telemedicine operational feasibility of the selected hospitals and health centers of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, which had better conditions in terms of bandwidth and the speed of information exchange (50 Mb/s) with the university. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were collected by using a researcher made questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation (SD), and frequency distribution tables in SPSS software. Results: The score of telemedicine operational feasibility was 68.5% from doctors' perspective and 65.4% according to managers' perspective with SD of 14.4. Doctors were considered as five significant medical references including cardiology, obstetrics and gynecology, burn, orthopedics, and pulmonologist. In using telemedicine, doctors showed the highest interest in consultation with 63% and the lowest interest in providing care with 10.1%. Most experts considered initial costs, legal issues related to doctors, while most managers referred to initial costs, medical staff resistance, and issues related to confidentiality, and licensing problems as the basic barriers to telemedicine implementation. Conclusion: Telemedicine operational feasibility in the selected hospitals of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences was positive and managers; and most doctors believed that the proposed system was able to address many work challenges. Investigating technological infrastructure problems, internet speed, and in general telemedicine Technical feasibility will lead to propose a system, which is consistent with existing facilities. Investment, in order to strengthen cultural infrastructure, will be effective in the success of system implementation.