eHealth Readiness of Health Care Institutions in Botswana

Abstract

eHealth systems include applications of information and communication technologiesy to improve healthcare services delivery, support, and education. Many countries around the world, including Botswana, are in the process or have already adopted the use of such technology in their healthcare sectors. Often this is done without first gauging the readiness of the setting: healthcare workers meant to use the technology, or the facilities in which such technology will be used. eHealth Readiness is the ‘preparedness of healthcare workers, communities, or institutions for the anticipated change brought about by programs related to information and communications technology’. This study measured eHealth readiness of healthcare institutions in Botswana, and identified personal attributes of users that may influence their readiness to apply eHealth. A self-administered questionnaire with closed-ended questions was used to collect data from 87 healthcare workers at two hospitals in Botswana. The questionnaire contained 19 questions covering 3 domains (aptitudinal readiness, attitudinal readiness, and infrastructural readiness). The responses were rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The questionnaires were then coded and data analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0. Results highlighted that participating institutions showed a different degree of eHealth infrastructural readiness. Participants in the study showed a high level of eHealth attitudinal readiness but a low level of eHealth awareness.