EVALUATION OF THE HEALTHCARE WORKERS PERCEPTION OF TELHEALTH IN NIGERIAN HEALTHCARE SECTOR

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Telehealth has shown significant growth in recent years, enabling more effective management of chronic health conditions. Telehealth, as defined by the American Telemedicine Association (2020), is the provision of healthcare services remotely using mobile technology such as smartphone apps and the internet. Telehealth, when compared to community care without digitalized technologies, has been shown to greatly decrease the amount of time and money spent on monitoring health status (Shaw et al., 2018). Additionally, there are reduced demands for labour and physical location, as the presence of care leaders and offline engagement is no longer necessary (Dorsey & Topol, 2016). Other advantages include reduced hospitalisation rates (Bashshur et al., 2016) and less human errors in data entry, as mobile devices may regularly and remotely record medical data (Hollander & Carr, 2020). 

Telehealth played a role in reducing patients' depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic by offering remote treatment and consultation options when in-person hospital visits were not possible (Portnoy et al., 2020). Similarly, it appears to have been both efficient and successful. Beyond that, telehealth has become an essential approach to tackle the issues of healthcare accessibility in Nigeria, a country struggling with significant geographical differences and insufficient healthcare infrastructure. On the other hand, the significance of telehealth in Nigeria mostly stems from its ability to overcome obstacles related to geographical distance and insufficient medical infrastructure, especially in rural regions where healthcare accessibility is limited. 

According to Oyeyemi et al.(2020), telehealth improves access to specialized care by enabling virtual consultations with specialists located in urban centers, thereby reducing the need for patients to travel long distances. It enhances healthcare efficiency by enabling healthcare workers to reach more patients within a shorter timeframe, leading to reduced waiting times and improved patient outcomes (Owoicho et al., 2021). Telehealth also contributes to healthcare cost savings by minimizing transportation costs and hospital admissions, making healthcare more affordable and accessible to patients (Ojo et al.,2021). Furthermore, telehealth systems utilize telecommunications technology to enable remote consultations, diagnosis, and monitoring of patients, hence expanding healthcare services to underserved populations. This method not only increases the effectiveness of healthcare delivery but also boosts patient outcomes by enabling prompt interventions and uninterrupted care. In addition, telemedicine is crucial in reducing the impact of Nigeria's dearth of healthcare workers. 

Telehealth allows specialists from urban areas to provide remote support to primary care doctors, addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly in rural places. This collaborative framework improves the precision of diagnoses and treatment plans, guaranteeing that patients receive suitable care regardless of geographical limitations. Moreover, telehealth facilitates health education and disease prevention by implementing remote training programmes for healthcare professionals and community outreach activities, thereby encouraging individuals to take proactive measures in managing their health.

Nevertheless, there are several difficulties in assessing the efficacy of the Telehealth Chronic Disease Management System (TCDMS). Currently, TCDMS is increasingly broadening its range of services to include the management of chronic diseases at home, in addition to addressing acute disorders in hospitals. This shift emphasises a greater focus on long-term general health monitoring. It also aligns with the inherent requirements of the susceptible senior population (Dixon et al., 2016) and necessitates reliable and accurate indicators that can be regularly quantified. Therefore, a survey will be conducted in order to evaluate the healthcare workers perception of telehealth in Nigerian healthcare sector.

Statement of the Problem

Recently, the Nigerian government and healthcare stakeholders have become more aware of the potential of telehealth to revolutionise the healthcare industry. However, the National Health ICT strategic seeks to incorporate telehealth into the national healthcare system, with a focus on its contribution to attaining universal health coverage and enhancing health outcomes across the country. Furthermore, collaborations with telecommunication companies and digital entrepreneurs have facilitated the creation of cutting-edge telehealth solutions customized to meet specific local requirements, such as mobile health applications and telemedicine platforms (Owoicho, Adukwu & Madukwe, 2021).

Nevertheless, obstacles like inadequate internet infrastructure, regulatory obstacles, and patient acceptance continue to impede the implementation and use of telehealth in Nigeria. To tackle these problems, governments, healthcare providers, and technology developers need to work together to ensure that telehealth solutions can be implemented and scaled up in a sustainable manner nationwide. Notwithstanding these obstacles, the increasing acceptance of telehealth in Nigeria highlights its capacity to transform healthcare provision, improve health fairness, and contribute to broader socioeconomic progress. Hence, it is in the light of these that the study seeks to evaluate the healthcare workers perception of telehealth in Nigerian healthcare sector.

 1.3  Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the healthcare workers perception of telehealth in Nigerian healthcare sector. Specifically, the study will;

Assess the perception on the level of telehealth integration in the healthcare sector of Nigeria.

Assess the perception on the relevance of telehealth in Nigerian healthcare sector.

Assess the extent of telehealth utilization among healthcare workers in Nigerian healthcare sector.

Assess the factors influencing the use of telehealth in Nigerian healthcare sector.

1.4  Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

Is telehealth integration adequately implemented in the healthcare sector of Nigeria?

Is telehealth perceived as relevant in the Nigerian healthcare sector?

What is the extent of telehealth utilization among healthcare workers in the Nigerian healthcare sector?

What are the factors influencing the use of telehealth in the Nigerian healthcare sector?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

H0: There are no significant factors influencing the use of telehealth in the Nigerian healthcare sector.

Ha: There are significant factors influencing the use of telehealth in the Nigerian healthcare sector.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The study results will provide insight into healthcare professionals' perspectives on how crucial telehealth is for developing policies and strategies that facilitate its successful adoption and integration into the Nigerian healthcare system. Moreover, this study seeks to overcome the stated issues and constraints in order to promote the widespread adoption of telehealth in Nigeria. This would ultimately enhance healthcare access, quality, and efficiency throughout the country. Furthermore, subsequent researchers will use it as a literature review. Build on the findings to explore further aspects of telehealth in healthcare sector contributing to the academic body of knowledge.

1.7 Scope of the study   

The scope of this study is boarded on healthcare workers perception of telehealth in Nigerian healthcare sector. Empirically, this study will assess the level of telehealth integration, the relevance of telehealth, the extent of telehealth utilization among healthcare workers inhealthcare sector and the factors influencing the use of telehealth in healthcare sector. Geographically, the study will be delimited to some selected healthcare workers in Enugu state.

1.8 Limitation of the study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed. More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.

 1.9 Definition of Terms

Health: refers to a state of physical, mental, and social well-being in which an individual is free from illness and injury.

Telehealth: involves the use of digital information and communication technologies, such as computers and mobile devices, to access and manage health care services remotely.

Telemedicine: refers to the delivery of healthcare services and clinical information using telecommunications technology. This includes remote consultations, diagnoses, and treatments via phone, video conferencing, email, or other digital communication tools.