Expectations of telemedicine health service adoption in rural Bangladesh

This study analyzes the antecedent factors that influence patients' expectations of telemedicine adoption in centres hosted by rural public hospitals in Bangladesh. It examines five antecedents of patients' expectations of telemedicine adoption—self-efficacy, telemedicine experience, knowledge, enjoyment, and prior satisfaction. A conceptual research model was formulated, encompassing a set of hypotheses that were developed and tested by employing partial least squares structural equation modelling. Using a structured survey questionnaire, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 500 telemedicine users in different rural areas in Bangladesh. Except knowledge, four antecedents significantly contribute to patients' expectations of telemedicine health service adoption explaining 66% of the variance (R2) in expectations. These findings provide support for explaining antecedents to the formation of patients’ expectations of telemedicine adoption and the institutionalisation of favourable policy guidelines as an early guidance for the development of successful healthcare industries in Bangladesh and other similar settings. Specific policy interventions and recommendations are provided, including current research limitations leading to opportunities for future research. •Four antecedents of expectations of TM adoption were found in a developing country.•Rural patients' expectations of TM adoption were discovered by using SCT theory.•Patients' expectations of TM were persuasively supported by facts in Bangladesh.•Governments regulations and policy guidelines are indispensable for sustaining TM.•An Expectations Model yielded guidelines for expediting TM adoption in Bangladesh.