Cardiac patients’ willingness to use tele-health for cardiac rehabilitation and institutional readiness to adopt telemedicine in Sahid Gangalal National Heart Centre (SGNHC), Nepal

Abstract

It is a cross sectional study conducted in Sahid Gangalal National Heart Centre (SGNHC) of Nepal, among 80 cardiac patients who are 18 years and above. The main objective of the study is to study the willingness of the cardiac patients for tele-cardiac rehabilitation and to study the readiness of study institution for telehealth/e-health in general. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. Descriptive statistics for demographic variables and Chi-Square to examine the relationship between variables was used. Fisher exact test was used in case the assumption of chi-square test was violated. All p values quoted are two sided; with an alpha level set at 0.05. This study found that substantial number of patient was willing to use telehealth in general and majority were willing to use mobile call for consultation/disease management. The patients’ willingness in using various forms of technology for telehealth were dependent on gender, presence of heart disease,income, medication, previous hospitalization access and skills in using mobiles and the Internet . In addition, the readiness score illustrates that SGNHC is progressing towards the telehealth/e-health.