ACCEPTANCE OF TELE-MEDICINE IN HEALTH CARE CUSTOMERS OF KARACHI

Abstract

PURPOSE The purpose ofthis study is to provide meaningful information to the health care executives, marketers, entrepreneurs, physicians and other stakeholders of Karachi regarding the acceptance oftelemedicine to take reasonable decision to mandate telemedicine in health-care sector of Karachi or not. It’s a new emerging field and its implication after the Covid-19 virus outbreak has been seen increased in comparison to the past. Still it was .just observational and only few researches have been conducted to provide meaningful information to support decision. In addition, no research has been conducted in past integrating and studying the predictor variable immune-suppression to predict the outcome variable tele medicine. METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN: This is an explanatory, quantitative and cross sectional research conducted at one point oftime conducted with the help of adaptive research instrument. The deductive approach is used. Target population are the customers of Karachi with non-probability convenience sampling technique is used because sampling frame is not available. The sampling size is calculated by using sampling size calculation table given in Umesekran book ofresearch. FINDINGS: Two independent variables are studied to predict the acceptance oftelemedicine. Internet browsing has a significant relationship with the acceptance oftelemedicine while immunosuppression has no relationship with the acceptance oftelemedicine. To extend this study, mediating variable that is the fear ofacquiring HAI is introduced to the linkage ofimmune-suppression and acceptance oftele-medicine but encompasses no mediating effect on the model. CONCLUSION: Based on the results, the hypothesis HAI is accepted since sig. value of coefficients ofregression is 0.00 which is less than 0.01 see table 18. It is concluded that if internet browsing in customers is increased, acceptance oftelemedicine is also increased. The hypothesis HA2 is rejected since we have a sig. value of coefficient of regression is 0.39 which is greater than constant 0.01 see table 18. It is concluded that there is no relationship between immunosuppression and acceptance of telemedicine. After Process analysis, no mediating effect ofthe MV fear of acquiring HAI on the linkage of predictor variable 2 and outcome variable is found see table 20, as the zero is present between the LLCI and ULCI of indirect effect ofX on Y. In addition, the relationship between IV2 and DV is insignificant as p value is 0.39 which is greater than 0.05, this is against the conditions required for mediation analysis. This hypothesis is rejected (Abu-Bader & Jones, 2021). RECOMMENDATIONS: Based on the conclusion, it is recommended that telemedicine is not a futuristic health care plan for the population of Karachi since 31 % of our sample size disbelieve that it is effective. However, 22% of our sample size believe that it is effective; among those are the male population, who are employed in high tech organizations. Keeping in view the above facts and figures, The researcher highly suggests suggest that telemedicine should be implemented after micro marketing ofthe segments; among which the most prominent segments I identified are health insurance employers who are being benefited from health care organizations on the behalf of collaborative contracts between their companies and health care organizations. Health care stakeholders should keep telemedicine plan reserved for this segment of population. The most prominent limitation ofthis study is it is quantitative study and it introduces biasness in responses since respondents have to choose any option from the fixed set of answers. In addition, it is a cross sectional research that studies a population at one point oftime. The scope ofthis study is limited to Karachi only leaving behind a huge chunk on population of Pakistan and the other countries. We have conducted the survey using non-random convenience sampling which is also narrowing the scope of our study. The effect ofpredictors, outcome and mediator is checked but the effect ofmoderator is not studied in this research. Lastly, this research is conducted at the student level with in a duration of four months only. Based on the results, it is recommended that telemedicine is not a good health care plan for the population of Karachi since 31% of our sample size disbelieve that it is effective. However, 22% of our sample size believe that it is effective; among those are the male population, who are employed in organizations having high tech environment. Keeping in view the above facts and figures, The researcher highly suggests suggest that telemedicine should be implemented after micro marketing ofthe segments; among which the most prominent segment I identified are health insurance employers who are being benefited from health care organizations on the behalfof collaborative contracts between their companies and health care organizations. Health care stakeholders should keep telemedicine plan reserved for this segment ofpopulation.