Towards a better understanding of the intention to use eHealth services by medical professionals: The case of developing countries

eHealth services are experiencing a slow diffusion in developing countries. Yet, despite the managerial importance of such a question, little research considers e-health and its adoption. This article therefore investigates this topic and aims at better understanding what are the motivational factors influencing medical professionals intention to use eHealth services. Literature on Technology Acceptance Models was first investigated and adapted to the research context with the help of a qualitative study. Then a quantitative study was performed. Data from 10 developing countries revealed atypical findings. Performance expectancy, social influence through moderators, government policy, medical education, and medical knowledge contribute to the intention to use eHealth services in developing countries. Analytical results indicate the importance of government attitude in the adoption of these innovative services. Geographic differences between urban and rural areas also revealed the need for different marketing strategies for these environments. The results of the research were two-fold. First, unique, new constructs based on The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model to measure behavioural intention by medical professionals in developing countries were developed. Second, a model which details relationships between motivational factors and behavioural intention was proposed and validated based on the specific domain of eHealth services. The findings of the study have valuable implications for both academic and management practice in the field of international marketing management.