Telemedicine Access and Utilization among Senegalese Primary Healthcare Providers: Adoption Trends Over Time

Telemedicine has emerged as a critical tool for healthcare delivery in low- and middle-income countries, particularly during public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. A longitudinal study was conducted using mixed-methods data collection including surveys and interviews. Data from three consecutive years were analysed to track changes in PHP perceptions and practices. During the study period, there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in telemedicine access for PHPs from 35% to 62%, with rural areas showing higher adoption rates (70%) compared to urban centers (48%). The study highlights the potential of telemedicine as an effective tool for expanding healthcare services, especially in underserved regions. Primary healthcare facilities should be equipped with necessary technology and training programmes to enhance telemedicine capabilities. Treatment effect was estimated with logit(pᵢ)=β₀+β^ Xᵢ, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.