Factors Affecting the Adoption of Telemedicine in Ethiopia

This research aimed to identify the barriers to the adoption and implementation of telemedicine in Ethiopia from the perspectives of health professionals, and to analyse existing policy documents related to telemedicine. A total of 172 health professionals were surveyed using an online questionnaire, and document analysis was conducted on relevant policy documents. The results revealed several barriers to the implementation of telemedicine in Ethiopia, including inadequate infrastructure, lack of appropriate policies, insufficient training, experience and knowledge among health professionals, and poor management and organisational factors. The findings indicate that only 9.9 % of the participants had used telemedicine to treat patients. These findings offer insights into the challenges faced by health professionals in adopting telemedicine and suggest the need for coordinated efforts to create harmonised policies, favourable organisational settings, and appropriate training to make telemedicine fit for purpose and practice in Ethiopia. Overall, this research contributes to the existing knowledge on the barriers to the implementation of telemedicine in developing countries and provides valuable lessons for policymakers and health professionals. The potential impact of this research lies in its ability to inform the development of effective strategies for overcoming the barriers to telemedicine implementation and thus, improving access to quality healthcare services for communities living in remote and rural areas of Ethiopia.