THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY USE AND ACCEPTANCE ON HEALTHCARE OUTCOMES AND PERFORMANCE FOR PATIENT ENCOUNTERS AND VISITS:AN EXTENSION OF THE UNIFIED THEORY OF ACCEPTANCE AND USE OF TECHNOLOGY(UTAUT2)

Technology Usage has become an important topic because of disruptions in the healthcare space in recent years. Long wait times and service delivery times, reduced patient engagement and interaction on care plans, lack of access to just-in-time healthcare records, diverse IT infrastructure with little or no interoperability and frequent server downtimes are some of the critical issues that could leverage current technology solutions to engage with patients before, during and post encounter visits and significantly improve outcomes and patient experiences.
Objective – This study extends the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model by examining the role of technology use in influencing healthcare outcomes and patient experience. The study also investigates how healthcare service modality (Brick& Mortar, Hospital at Home, Mobile/Telehealth) influences the relationship between technology use and patient outcomes. Specifically looking at how different healthcare modality types can leverage modern technologies and disruption trends to improve patient satisfaction and patient engagement throughout the life cycle of a patient encounter visit.
Methods – Our proposed model incorporates five constructs- Two Independent variables- Individual Behavioral Intention and Technology use, Two moderators- Cloud based Electronic Medical Record (EHR) and Modality and finally two dependent variables- Patient Satisfaction and Patient Engagement.
Results -Results from an online survey on technology use from patients who have experienced services from the different healthcare modalities will be collected and analyzed to support the model.
Conclusions – This study is an important innovative addition for the UTAUT2 model. It will have practical implications for academia and industry by informing future research and operationalization strategies on possible trends that could be leveraged to significantly improve performance and outcomes in the healthcare industry.
Key Words – Healthcare Business Types, Technology Use, Cloud Enabled Patient Portal, Healthcare Service Delivery, Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT2), Patient Satisfaction, Patient Engagement