Assessing the adoption of a home health provisioning system in India: An analysis of patients. Issue 1 (March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Agarwal, Nikunj; Sebastian, M.P.; Agarwal, Shikhar
• Is Part Of: Health policy and technology. Volume 5:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 74
• Page End: 83
• Publication Date: 2016-03
• Subjects: Concierge medicine -- Technology -- EMR -- Home care -- Health service -- ICT; Medical policy -- Periodicals; Medical technology -- Periodicals; Medical policy; Medical technology; Health Policy -- Periodicals; Biomedical Technology -- Periodicals; Technology Assessment, Biomedical -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 362.105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.hlpt.2015.10.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2211-8837

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Unlike the developed countries, a home healthcare provisioning system (HHPS) is not widely prevalent in India. Our aim was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of Indian patients in adopting the HHPS. Methods: We used a paper based and online survey for adults in India to conduct the study. We used bar and pie charts to represent the frequency distributions. We also conducted multivariate logistic regression analysis to understand the importance of the selected factors upon the dependent variables of interest, which include patient willingness to pay extra for utilizing services through HHPS, willingness to pay extra for utilizing services during non-office hours, and willingness to enroll into HHPS. Results: A total of 193 patients were surveyed (141 paper, 52 online). The study sample was comprised of 74 males and 119 females; 64.9% of males and 37.8% of females were interested in having routine medical check-ups through HHPS. In addition, 52.7% of the males and 31.9% of females were interested in utilizing services through HHPS during the weekends. A large proportion of patients (97.9%) were also open to utilizing a non-personal means of communication like telephone, email, SMS or video chat for simple follow-up queries. Furthermore, we noted that a significant proportion of patients (56.5%) were willing to enroll voluntarily, and 35.2% were willing to enroll for a free trial to obtain services through HHPS. Patient willingness for extra payment to obtain services through the HHPS was likely due to the patients׳ desire to receive answers to follow-up queries through information and communication technology (ICT) (computer, email, text messages, or telephone call). Patients who believed that routine medical checkups are important in life were willing to pay extra for utilizing services through the HHPS. Young male patients were more likely to have medical checkups during non-office hours as compared with their female counterparts. Conclusions: A sizeable proportion of Indian patients are willing to enroll into a HHPS. A large proportion of patients were also open to utilizing non-personal means of communication like telephone, email, SMS or video chat for simple follow-up queries. There appear to be age based and gender based differences in the overall willingness to enroll into such a system. Highlights: We surveyed patients to understand the perceptions to avail health services at home. Increase in desire for answers through video chat increases willingness to pay extra. Young male patients are more desirous to have checkups during non-office hours. Patients who believed that routine checkups were important were willing to pay extra.