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Abdullah M. Alshahrani

General Directorate of Health Affairs , Saudi Arabia

Title: Health managers’ views of factors influencing their acceptance of electronic health services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is a country with one of the largest land masses and difficult geographical terrain in the Middle East. The accessibility of advanced health services, especially for people in rural areas, has been considered one of the main health challenges. Electronic Health (eHealth) offers innovative solutions for improving the access and management of healthcare delivery. This study aimed to highlight factors that influence health managers’ acceptance of eHealth services in the KSA. It has been carried out in three phases: a Systematic Review (SR), a quantitative survey, and a qualitative interview. Inclusion and exclusion criteria for each phase were applied. Ethical approval to conduct the study had been gained. Thirty-nine factors were identified as influencing health managers’ eHealth acceptance in KSA. The top influential factors were: (i) Availability of operational resources, (ii) Trust in confidentiality, security, and data privacy, (iii) Availability of qualified human resources, (iv) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure and readiness, and (v) The quality of eHealth systems and applications. Findings from this research have drawn a clearer picture of the key challenges in health managers’ acceptance of eHealth services in KSA. Areas for improvement were identified. 

Biography

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