Assessing the implementation of electronic consultation in the Ghanaian health sector = Ukuhlola ukuqaliswa kokuxhumana ngobuchwepheshe nesiguli ekwelapheni emkhakheni wezempilo eGhana.

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic sparked the buzz word “e-consultation” because people preferred having medical attention remotely. The researcher carried out this study with the aim to help improve access to healthcare by identifying the key issues in the adoption and use of e-consultation in the Ghanaian Health Sector. The study evaluates how e-consultation systems influence the delivery of health care services in hospitals, assesses the attitudes of clinicians and patients towards e-consultation systems and provides a framework to enhance its usage. To assess the implementation of successful e-consultation, the researcher developed a conceptual model that bridged the Delone & Mclean’s IS success model, and Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory to form a suitable model for the study. The research utilized a sequential exploratory method, combining qualitative and quantitative methods to gain an in-depth understanding of the dynamics and challenges associated with e-consultation in the specific context of Ghana. The study found that the implementation of e-consultation is integrated in the internal hospital management system of very few hospitals. Hence most clinicians resort to using e-consultation informally with the help of WhatsApp video, Zoom, phone calls and other open source platforms. Also, it was found that the attitudes of clinicians and patients towards e-consultation implementation is influenced by various factors that range from system quality, information quality, ease of use, connectivity, and education. Besides, the growing concern of privacy and data security issues shows that healthcare providers should strengthen the development of e-consultation information systems. It transpired that the Ministry of Health does not have a suitable policy on software standards for e-consultation. The poor regulatory framework is a major factor contributing to resistance to the use of e-consultation. The rotated factor matrix extracted using the Principal Axis Factoring shows a high level of correlation and consistency among various factors under study. Attitude came first followed by Regulatory framework, acceptance and diffusion. The study, therefore, proposed a model for e-consultation implementation which would help regularize the implementation of e-consultation as well as enhancing the rate of diffusion of e-consultation, its adoption and usage by hospitals and the public.

Iqoqa.

Ubhubhane iKhovidi-19 luqhamuke negama elihehayo “ukuxhumane ngobucwepheshe nesiguli/e-consultation” ngoba abantu bancamela ukuthola ukunakekelwa kokwelashwa kuqhelelwene. Umcwaningi wenze lolu cwaningo ngenhloso yokusiza ukuthuthukisa ukufinyelela ekunakekelweni kwezempilo ngokuhlonza izinto ekwamukeleni nasekusetshenzisweni kokuxhumana ngobucwepheshe nesiguli emkhakheni wezempilo eGhana. Ucwaningo luhlola ukuthi izinhlelo zokuxhumana ngobucwepheshe nesiguli zinomthelela kanjani ekulethweni kwezinsiza zokunakekela kwezempilo ezibhedlela, luhlole izimo zengqondo zabelaphi neziguli maqondana nezinhlelo zokuxhumana ngobucwepheshe nesiguli nokuhlinzeka ngohlaka ukuthuthukisa ukusetshenziswa kwayo kwakho. Ukuhlola ukuqaliswa ngempumelelo kokuxhumana ngobucwepheshe nesiguli, umcwaningi wakhe indlelakwenza emqondo ohlanganisa iDelone neMaclean IS ndlelakwenza enempumelelo, neRoger’s Diffusion of Innovation Thiyori ukwenza indlelakwenza efanele yocwaningo. Ucwaningo lusebenzise indlela yokuhlola elandelanayo, ehlanganisa izindlela zekhwalithethivu nekhwantithethivu ukuthola ukuqonda okujulile okuguquguqukayo nezinselelo ezisondelene nokuxhumana ngobuchwepheshe nesiguli esimeni esikhethekile eGhana. Ucwaningo luthole ukuthi ukuqaliswa kokuxhumana ngobucwepheshe nesiguli kufakiwe ohlelweni lwangaphakathi lokuphatha isibhedlela kwezimbalwa kakhulu izibhedlela. Ngakho-ke, iningi labelaphi liguqukela ekusebenziseni ukuxhumana ngobucwepheshe nesiguli ngokungahleliwe ngosizo lwevidiyo yeWhatsApp, iZoom, ukushaya ucingo kanye nezinye izinkundla zemithombo esabalele. Kwabuye, kwatholakala ukuthi izimo zengqondo zabelaphi neziguli ngokuqaliswa kokuxhumana ngobucwepheshe nesiguli kunomthelela ngezinto eziningi ezisukela ohlelweni lwezingabunjalo, ulwazi lwezingabunjalo, ukukusebenzisa kalula, ukuxhumana kanye nemfundo. Ngaphandle kwalokho, ukwanda kokukhathazeka kobumfihlo nezinto zokuphepha kwemininingo kukhombisa ukuthi abahlinzeki bokunakekela kwezempilo kufanele baqinise izinhlelo zokuthuthukisa ulwazi lokuxhumana ngobucwepheshe nesiguli. Kwavela ukuthi uMnyango Wezempilo awunayo inqubomgomo efanele yezilinganiso ngesoftware okuxhumana ngobucwepheshe nesiguli. Imatrix yento ezungezisiwe ekhishwe kusetshenziswa iPrincipal Axis Factoring ikhombisa izinga eliphezulu lokuhlobana nezingabunjalo phakathi kwezinto ezahlukene ngaphansi kocwaningo. Isimo sengqondo safika kuqala silandelwa uhlaka lokulawula, ukwamukelwa nokusabalalisa. Ucwaningo, ngakho-ke, luhlongoza indlelakwenza yokuqaliswa kokuxhumana ngobucwepheshe nesiguli ezosiza ukulawula ukuqaliswa kokuxhumana ngobucwepheshe nesiguli kanjalo nokuthuthukisa ukuphuthumisa kokusatshalaliswa kokuxhumana ngobuchwepheshe nesiguli, ekwamukelweni kwakho nokusetshenziswa yizibhedlela nomphakathi.