Determinants of Mobile Health Adoption in Burundi

Mobile health (or mHealth) can be broadly defined as the use of mobile devices and technologies to provide healthcare services. The potential of mHealth interventions to address healthcare issues, particularly in developing countries, is widely recognised. Although mHealth has yielded positive outcomes in various contexts, there is a need for designing mHealth interventions that are specifically tailored to the context of individual countries in order to increase the prospects of adoption. It is in this context that, using the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory, this paper investigates the determinants for the adoption of mobile health by healthcare professionals in Burundi. From a sample of 212 primary healthcare professionals, this paper analyses what can influence Burundi’s primary healthcare workers to adopt mobile health. The results indicate that the relative advantages associated with mHealth interventions are perceived as predictors of mHealth adoption in Burundi. Moreover, work-related factors coupled with one’s experience with mobile devices are the DOI compatibility factors that influence the adoption of mHealth by Burundi’s healthcare professionals. mHealth being a new concept with the Burundi’s healthcare system, trialability and observability were found to have a significant influence on its adoption. However, mHealth complexity was found to have no influence on mHealth adoption. This paper advocates for education and awareness programs tailored specifically towards mHealth adoption by primary healthcare workers. It further recommends that the country leverage its East African Community (EAC) membership by forging partnerships with other EAC members in order to be acquainted with and learn from evidence-based outcomes of successful mHealth interventions within the region

Applying Technology Acceptance Model to Explore the Determinants of Mobile Health Service: From the Perspective of Public User

With the rapid usage rate of mobile phone and advances in healthcare technology, as well as current concerns arise over public’s health, mobile health are attracting the attention of more and more people. Although previous studies on the adoption of mobile services are quite extensive, few focus on public users’ adoption of mobile health service (MHS). In this study, we examine the determinants of user adoption of MHS based on Technology acceptance model (TAM). The findings confirm that perceived usefulness positively affect users’ attitude toward MHS, perceived service availability significantly impact on perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, perceived usefulness and attitude directly enhance intention

Potential adoption of mobile health technologies for public healthcare in Burundi.

Doctor of Philosophy in Information Systems and Technology. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2016.Mobile health (or mHealth) describes the utilisation of wireless mobile communications devices in public and private healthcare. These include, but are not limited to, mobile telephones, personal digital assistants, and patient monitoring devices. Although the outcomes of mHealth interventions in developing countries have generally been assessed as positive, there is a need for designing mHealth interventions that are specifically tailored to the context of individual countries. It is in this context that this research investigates the potential adoption of mHealth technologies to provide healthcare services in Burundi from the institutional level point of view (Burundi’s Ministry of Health and Fight Against AIDS (MoH&A) and the Ministry of Communication (MoC)), users point of view (primary healthcare professionals) and mobile technology point of view (mobile technology providers). Using three theoretical frameworks i.e. the Capabilities Approach (CA) model, the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), this research firstly identifies the determinants and impediments to mHealth adoption in Burundi. It further describes how mHealth could be used to address the current challenges that the Burundi’s Ministry of Health faces in terms of providing public healthcare services. It further proposes a framework for the adoption of mHealth in Burundi. At the institutional level and mobile technology point of view, semi-structured interviews were held with civil servants from the two Ministries and with mobile technology services providers. At the users’ level, a survey was conducted with primary healthcare professionals from 47 primary healthcare centres. Findings reveal that mHealth adoption can contribute to disease prevention, disease management and the provision of quality healthcare in Burundi. Although there is limited knowledge of mHealth capabilities within the Burundi’s public healthcare sector, there is a general willingness towards the adoption of mHealth notwithstanding challenges associated with its adoption. Although DOI construct-related factors such as relative advantage, compatibility, trialability and observability significantly influence the adoption of mHealth in Burundi, complexity does not. In addition, performance expectancy, effort expectancy and facilitating conditions are UTAUT constructs that significantly influence the adoption of mHealth adoption. The research advocates for an integrated and collaborative approach to addressthe impediments to mHealth adoption in Burundi

Mobile IoT adoption as antecedent to Care-Service Efficiency and Improvement: Empirical study in Healthcare-context

Internet of things (IoT) is the buzzword and pioneering breakthrough approach highlighted in today’s industry 4.0, where the devices are seamlessly integrated with each other, sharing vital information in real-time sync. With the wearable IoT devices, the diagnostic readings and physical measurements of the patients can be shared with the physician on the go and suitable diagnosis can as well be shared with patient in the real-time on their own mobile devices through IoT applications. This study empirically examines the importance of m-IoT adoption on the information pervasiveness across the network and patient stakeholders and in turn investigating how efficiency of healthcare services and care process improvement got affected. Study outcomes based on 221 completed responses from the healthcare professionals concludes that, m-IoT adoption opens new opportunities and challenges with the process innovation in the healthcare services and increases the efficiency of services

Impact of Mobile and Wireless Technology on Healthcare Delivery services

Modern healthcare delivery services embrace the use of leading edge technologies and new scientific discoveries to enable better cures for diseases and better means to enable early detection of most life-threatening diseases. The healthcare industry is finding itself in a state of turbulence and flux. The major innovations lie with the use of information technologies and particularly, the adoption of mobile and wireless applications in healthcare delivery [1]. Wireless devices are becoming increasingly popular across the healthcare field, enabling caregivers to review patient records and test results, enter diagnosis information during patient visits and consult drug formularies, all without the need for a wired network connection [2]. A pioneering medical-grade, wireless infrastructure supports complete mobility throughout the full continuum of healthcare delivery. It facilitates the accurate collection and the immediate dissemination of patient information to physicians and other healthcare care professionals at the time of clinical decision-making, thereby ensuring timely, safe, and effective patient care. This paper investigates the wireless technologies that can be used for medical applications, and the effectiveness of such wireless solutions in a healthcare environment. It discusses challenges encountered; and concludes by providing recommendations on policies and standards for the use of such technologies within hospitals

A Voice-based Mobile Prescription Application for Healthcare Services (VBMOPA)

Adverse drug effects are a major cause of death in the world with tens of thousand deaths occurring across the world each year because of medication or prescription errors. Many of such errors involve the administration of the wrong drug or dosage by care givers to patients due to indecipherable handwritings, drug interactions, confusing drug names etc. The adoption of voice-based mobile applications could eliminate some of these errors because they allow prescription information to be captured and heard through voice response rather than in the physician’s handwriting. This paper presents a design and implementation of a Voice-based Mobile Prescription Application (vbmopa) to improve health care services. The application can be accessed through a mobile phone by dialing an appropriate number. This system could lead to costs and life savings in healthcare centres across the world especially in developing countries where treatment processes are usually cumbersome and paper based

How Environmental Uncertainty Moderates the Effect of Relative Advantage and Perceived Credibility on the Adoption of Mobile Health Services by Chinese Organizations in the Big Data Era

Despite the importance of adoption of mobile health services by an organization on the diffusion of mobile technology in the big data era, it has received minimal attention in literature. This study investigates how relative advantage and perceived credibility affect an organization's adoption of mobile health services, as well as how environmental uncertainty changes the relationship of relative advantage and perceived credibility with adoption. A research model that integrates relative advantage, perceived credibility, environmental uncertainty, and an organization's intention to use mobile health service is developed. Quantitative data are collected from senior managers and information systems managers in 320 Chinese healthcare organizations. The empirical findings show that while relative advantage and perceived credibility both have positive effects on an organization's intention to use mobile health services, relative advantage plays a more important role than perceived credibility. Moreover, environmental uncertainty positively moderates the effect of relative advantage on an organization's adoption of mobile health services. Thus, mobile health services in environments characterized with high levels of uncertainty are more likely to be adopted because of relative advantage than in environments with low levels of uncertainty

Modeling Patient Empowerment in Healthcare Organization Through Cloud Computing

Healthcare organization may not necessarily invest in IT infrastructure to serving the need for e-health system by considering rent the system and resources to keep them focus in their core of business (healthcare services). Cloud computing in healthcare service can provide flexibility in term of resources adoption and quick implementation. However, adopting cloud computing for the purpose of patient empowerment is challenging task for healthcare organization. Patients are empowered in the sense of controlling the process of interaction(s) with a healthcare organization and among patients themselves. In addition, empowerment through cloud computing enables patients to have greater role in the process of participation in managing personal healthcare, sharing healthcare issues with the authorized healthcare staffs, and engaging a mobile health that emphasises on healthcare service anywhere and anytime. This paper proposes a model of patient empowerment in e-health systems through cloud computing to enhance existing theory of empowerment in healthcare business processes. A survey has also been conducted to verify and improve the initial model and to understand the responses of patients regarding empowerment in the e-health services

Digital-Biotechnology: A Framework of Bioinformatics used Mobile-Health Technologies in Nigeria-Universities 5G-Readiness Deployment-Plan

Digital Bioinformatics Innovation Initiative (DBII) is a branch of science that used Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), government electronic services such as electronic government (e-government), electronic health (e-health), and mobile technologies (mobile health) to examine knowledge and information. DBII can also use Internet services or Fourth Generation (4G), and Fifth Generation (5G) services for its deployment and implementation opportunities in developing nations health and healthcare system and other domains. Some of the current digital bioinformatics processes are geometadata profiling, use of mobile technologies (mobile phones) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various 5G readiness deployment fields. Despite the benefits of this novel digital innovation, its deployment and implementation have been affected by poverty, lack of enough routine anticipation and determination, initial understanding of mobile phone, inadequate of research funding, personal innovativeness, lack of stable and dependable research methodologies. At present, there is limited number of research that highlighted these aspects to fill in research gaps and find alternative solution to DBII research problems. Therefore, a pilot survey was conducted among professionals in various fields who are knowledgeable about DBII from February 20th, 2020, to January 1st, 2022. Eight academic research professionals, and fifteen health and healthcare workers validated 6 behavior intention factors. Similarly, six hundred postgraduate and undergraduate students, health and healthcare specialists and other professionals across six Nigerian geographical zones participated in pilot survey using the proposed Precaution Adoption Model Process (PAMP) Mobile health questionnaire. Under this situation Principal Component Analysis (PCA) pre-processed online geometadata profiles, experts confirmed behavior intention items towards hypothesis generation, hypothesis testing, and development of digital bioinformatics framework of to use mobile phones in Nigeria Universities 5G readiness deployment plan. The study has discussed several theoretical and practical implications of digital bioinformatics for system designers and developers

Empowering ASHA Workers with Technology: Enhancing Primary Healthcare in Rural Communities.

This study aims to explore how technology can play a transformative role in empowering Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) to enhance primary healthcare services within rural communities. ASHAs play a crucial role in delivering healthcare to underserved populations, yet their effectiveness is often hampered by resource limitations and restricted access to healthcare information. To address these challenges, this research investigates the integration of technology, specifically mobile applications, into the daily responsibilities of ASHAs. The research delves into how technology impacts ASHA workers' capacity to gather and share health-related information, enhance healthcare decision-making, and facilitate prompt referrals. Employing a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, interviews, and field observations, the study aims to capture the experiences and viewpoints of ASHAs, healthcare providers, and community members. Initial findings indicate that the adoption of technology has resulted in increased healthcare delivery efficiency, improved healthcare data tracking, and heightened community engagement. ASHAs equipped with technology can deliver healthcare services that are more personalized and timely, thereby contributing to improved health outcomes in rural areas. This research highlights the substantial potential of technology in empowering frontline healthcare workers and enhancing access to high-quality healthcare services in rural communities. It underscores the significance of tailored technological solutions to augment the effectiveness of ASHAs and, consequently, the overall healthcare ecosystem in underserved regions