Understanding telehealth adoption among healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia through an extended technology acceptance model

Batool Al-jasim; Emna Baklouti; Ebtesam Elsayed; Khaled Ouanes

doi:10.55942/pssj.v5i5.455

Authors

Batool Al-jasim Almoosa College of Health Sciences
Emna Baklouti Razi Psychiatric Hospital https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5143-8841
Ebtesam Elsayed Saudi Electronic University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6425-6724
Khaled Ouanes Saudi Electronic University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3751-4959

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55942/pssj.v5i5.455

Keywords:

Telehealth Adoption, Technology Acceptance Model, Healthcare Professionals, Satisfaction, System Quality, Saudi Arabia, COVID-19

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the global shift toward telehealth services, compelling healthcare systems to integrate digital platforms for continued patient care. This study investigates the factors influencing the adoption of telehealth applications among healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Saudi Arabia, using an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The model incorporates classical TAM variables, such as perceived usefulness and ease of use, alongside additional quality dimensions, such as learnability, interface quality, interaction quality, and reliability. Data were collected from 102 HCPs across public and private hospitals and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling with SmartPLS. The results revealed that perceived usefulness, learnability, interaction quality, and reliability significantly influence satisfaction, which in turn strongly predicts future usage intention. However, ease of use and interface quality were found to be non-significant, suggesting that, under pandemic conditions, functional reliability and clinical value outweigh usability aesthetics. The model demonstrated substantial explanatory power (R² = 0.691 for satisfaction; R² = 0.623 for intention) and predictive relevance through PLSpredict. This research extends the TAM by integrating system quality factors relevant to healthcare contexts and offers practical insights for policymakers and system developers aiming to enhance the long-term adoption of telehealth technologies.

Author Biographies

Batool Al-jasim, Almoosa College of Health Sciences

Batool Al-Jasim is affiliated with Almoosa College of Health Sciences in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, where she plays a leading role in clinical applications and healthcare IT solutions. With a strong background in health information technology and clinical neurophysiology, her work focuses on implementing and managing digital health systems to support patient care quality and operational efficiency in clinical settings. She is particularly interested in leveraging digital innovations to enhance service delivery in healthcare education and practice.

Emna Baklouti, Razi Psychiatric Hospital

Emna Baklouti is a practicing psychiatrist at Razi Psychiatric Hospital in Manouba, Tunisia. Her clinical and research interests lie at the intersection of psychiatry and neurology, with particular expertise in rare neurovascular disorders such as Sneddon syndrome. Dr. Baklouti has co-authored publications in internationally recognized journals, contributing to the understanding of psychiatric manifestations of complex cerebrovascular diseases. She is committed to advancing psychiatric care through evidence-based diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Ebtesam Elsayed, Saudi Electronic University

Dr. Ebtesam Elsayed is currently affiliated with the Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Saudi Electronic University, as an assistant professor. Her expertise and contributions in the field of public health have been invaluable to this research. Her dedication to advancing health sciences and her commitment to improving community health outcomes are reflected in her work.

Khaled Ouanes, Saudi Electronic University

Dr. Khaled Ouanes is an assistant professor in the health informatics department of the health sciences college at the Saudi Electronic University. He received his Ph.D. in 2012. As of 2025, Dr. Khaled has more than 16 years of experience in academia and university teaching. He has been involved in research for nearly two decades and has participated in different research projects and work in different fields of biological and biomedical sciences, Healthcare sciences, Health informatics, Genetics, Public health and bioinformatics.

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