Abstract:
Abstract
Background: -Telemedicine is the delivery of healthcare services when the distance is a critical
factor. Despite this technology, it is an emerging and infancy technology in a developing
country, utilizing the technology for delivering healthcare services is low in Ethiopia's health
care system. To maximize the adoption of telemedicine services, the user-oriented development
of advanced systems integrating knowledge and awareness of telemedicine services among
health professionals is necessary. Therefore, to facilitate this adoption, it prominently requires
information about the knowledge and awareness of telemedicine services among health
professionals.
Objectives: -This research was conducted to determine the Knowledge, Awareness, and
associated factors of Telemedicine services among health professionals working at Referral
Hospitals in Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia, 2020.
Methods: - An institution-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among 423 health
professionals working at Referral Hospitals in the Amhara region from February 12-March
20/2020. The data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Desk
review was done to assure the quality of data and then the data was entered into EPI INFO
version 7 for checking its completeness and consistency and then exported into SPSS version 20
for further statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics, bivariable, and multivariable logistic
regression analysis were done. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval
Result: About 56%
source information
toward telemedicine services
Conclusion: More than half of the respondents had good knowledge and high awareness of
telemedicine services. The Information source, having IT support staff, information sharing
culture, gender and awareness were the most significant factors for the knowledge of
telemedicine service, and telemedicine training and computer access were significant factors of
awareness of health professionals towards telemedicine services.
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Keywords: knowledge, awareness, telemedicine services, health professionals
