Table 4 Challenges of telehealth implementation before COVID-19
High-Income Countries (HICs) | ||
Year | Author(s) | Key Findings |
2019 | Alghamdi et al., [22] | A study that assessed the adherence and dropout rates of individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in telehealth interventions showed that there is a lack of knowledge on the effectiveness of telehealth for COPD care post-implementation. This makes it difficult to assess the impact of telehealth on COPD management. |
2012 | Sanders et al., [23] | A qualitative study conducted in the UK shows that patients are reluctant to risk potential disruptive changes to existing face-to-face services that are highly valued. There are difficulties in recruiting health professionals for telehealth services, where recruitment difficulties are reported at 80% refusal rate. |
Low-and-Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) | ||
2015 | Scott et al., [24] | In LMICs, telehealth has still not been integrated into existing healthcare systems. Some of the reasons are: limited resources, unreliable power supply, poor internet connectivity, and high cost for the poverty stricken. |
2013 | Cilliers & Flowerday, [25] | A barrier to the effective implementation of a telehealth system in LMICs is the lack of awareness regarding the telehealth system. The study further elaborates that health professionals are apprehensive when using telehealth, and this contributes to less frequent usage. |