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The technological, organizational and environmental determinants of adoption of mobile health applications (m-health) by hospitals in Kenya

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  • Bahati Prince Ngongo
  • Phares Ochola
  • Joyce Ndegwa
  • Paul Katuse

Abstract

Introduction: Sub-Saharan Africa lags in adoption of mobile health (m-health) applications and in leveraging m-health for sustainable development goals. There is a need for a comprehensive investigation of determinants of hospitals’ adoption of m-health in Sub-Saharan Africa to inform policies, practices and investments. Methods: This investigation used a logit regression model to analyze the determinants of m-health adoption in Kenyan hospitals applying the Technological, Organizational and Environmental (TOE) framework and the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory. A representative sample of 211 executives of Level 4–6 hospitals in 24 counties provided primary data on Patient-Centered (PC) and Facility-Centered (FC) m-health applications. Results: Both PC and FC m-health adoption were predicted by competition for patients (PC p = 0.041, FC p = 0.021), IT human resource capacity (PC p = 0.048, FC p = 0.037), and hospital pursuit of market growth through technological leadership (PC p = 0.010, FC p = 0.020). Further determinants of PC m-health adoption included hospital access to slack financial resources (p = 0.006), acquisition strategy (p = 0.011), compatibility with the hospital systems (p = 0.015), trialability (p = 0.019), medical insurance company support (p = 0.025),patient pressure (p = 0.036), and perceived effect of global medical tourism (p = 0.039). FC m-health adoption was predicted by hospital size (p = 0.008), ICT infrastructure capacity (p = 0.041), and government support (p = 0.013). Conclusion: A differentiated approach is required to scale up m-health adoption. PC m-health requires emphasis on establishing national and regional compatibility and interoperability, developing trialability processes and validation mechanisms, incentivizing patient competition and mobility, establishing innovative and cost-effective acquisition strategies, and ensuring integration of digital services within national insurance schemes and policies. These policies require support from patients and communities to drive demand and spur investment in adequate IT human resources to maintain reliability. Pilot PC m-health projects should prioritize hospitals with slack financial resources, while FC m-health should target large facility size. FC m-health applications are more complex and costly than PC, requiring government incentives to trigger hospital investments and national investment in ICT infrastructure. Investors and hospital managers should integrate m-health into market growth strategies for sustainable m-health scale-up in Kenya and beyond.

Suggested Citation

  • Bahati Prince Ngongo & Phares Ochola & Joyce Ndegwa & Paul Katuse, 2019. "The technological, organizational and environmental determinants of adoption of mobile health applications (m-health) by hospitals in Kenya," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(12), pages 1-25, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0225167
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225167
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Erind Hoti, 2015. "The technological, organizational and environmental framework of IS innovation adaption in small and medium enterprises. Evidence from research over the last 10 years," International Journal of Business and Management, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences, vol. 3(4), pages 1-14, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Aminu Adamu Ahmed, 2023. "Analysing the issues surrounding information and communication technology penetration and growth," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(2), pages 716-732, March.

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