Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40902201›Full record

ArticleJMIR human factors2025

Telehealth Acceptance and Perceived Barriers Among Health Professionals: Pre-Post Evaluation of a Web-Based Telehealth Course.

Lena Rettinger, Lukas Maul, Peter Putz, Veronika Ertelt-Bach, Andreas Huber, Susanne Maria Javorszky, Elisabeth Kupka-Klepsch, Sevan Sargis, Franz Werner, Klaus Widhalm and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR human factors, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Lena RettingerDepartment Health Sciences, FH Campus Wien, University of Applied Sciences, Favoritenstrasse 232, Vienna, 1100, Austria, 43 1 606 68 77 ext 4382.ORCID 0000-0003-0388-3438
Lukas MaulDepartment Health Sciences, FH Campus Wien, University of Applied Sciences, Favoritenstrasse 232, Vienna, 1100, Austria, 43 1 606 68 77 ext 4382.ORCID 0009-0000-3664-7357
Peter PutzDepartment Health Sciences, FH Campus Wien, University of Applied Sciences, Favoritenstrasse 232, Vienna, 1100, Austria, 43 1 606 68 77 ext 4382.ORCID 0000-0003-2314-3293
Veronika Ertelt-BachDepartment Health Sciences, FH Campus Wien, University of Applied Sciences, Favoritenstrasse 232, Vienna, 1100, Austria, 43 1 606 68 77 ext 4382.ORCID 0009-0008-2719-5449
Andreas HuberDepartment Health Sciences, FH Campus Wien, University of Applied Sciences, Favoritenstrasse 232, Vienna, 1100, Austria, 43 1 606 68 77 ext 4382.ORCID 0009-0007-0152-5422
Susanne Maria JavorszkyDepartment Health Sciences, FH Campus Wien, University of Applied Sciences, Favoritenstrasse 232, Vienna, 1100, Austria, 43 1 606 68 77 ext 4382.ORCID 0000-0003-4219-5857
Elisabeth Kupka-KlepschDepartment Applied Nursing Sciences, FH Campus Wien, University of Applied Sciences, Vienna, Austria.ORCID 0000-0002-6516-7501
Sevan SargisDepartment Health Sciences, FH Campus Wien, University of Applied Sciences, Favoritenstrasse 232, Vienna, 1100, Austria, 43 1 606 68 77 ext 4382.ORCID 0009-0005-3724-920X
Franz WernerDepartment Health Sciences, FH Campus Wien, University of Applied Sciences, Favoritenstrasse 232, Vienna, 1100, Austria, 43 1 606 68 77 ext 4382.ORCID 0000-0002-5833-3583
Klaus WidhalmDepartment Health Sciences, FH Campus Wien, University of Applied Sciences, Favoritenstrasse 232, Vienna, 1100, Austria, 43 1 606 68 77 ext 4382.ORCID 0000-0001-7076-4100
Rosmarie JosephDepartment Health Sciences, FH Campus Wien, University of Applied Sciences, Favoritenstrasse 232, Vienna, 1100, Austria, 43 1 606 68 77 ext 4382.ORCID 0009-0007-3017-0878
Stefanie DociDepartment Health Sciences, FH Campus Wien, University of Applied Sciences, Favoritenstrasse 232, Vienna, 1100, Austria, 43 1 606 68 77 ext 4382.ORCID 0009-0003-6284-0355
Sebastian KuhnInstitute of Digital Medicine, Philipps-University and University Hospital of Giessen and Marburg, Marburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-8031-2973

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The rapid expansion of telehealth underscores the need for comprehensive telehealth education among health care professionals. Despite increasing recognition of telehealth's importance, many practitioners remain underprepared, particularly in navigating legal aspects, technology, and patient engagement. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a web-based telehealth training course on health care professionals' telehealth acceptance and their perceived barriers to telehealth adoption. Methods: An interventional study with a pre-post design was used in Austria. A total of 365 health professionals enrolled in an asynchronous web-based course covering general telehealth principles (concepts, legal and technical aspects, practical implementation) and profession-specific content (eg, nursing, speech therapy, and physiotherapy). Of these, 217 completed the course, and 185 met inclusion criteria for analysis. Participants' telehealth acceptance (covering telemetry, telephasis, and telepraxis) and perceived barriers were assessed via standardized questionnaires before and after the course. Satisfaction with the training was measured post-intervention using the Training Evaluation Inventory. Qualitative insights were gathered from open-ended survey questions and 2 focus groups, transcribed, and summarized. Results: Post-intervention, overall telehealth acceptance increased significantly (P<.001, r=0.21), particularly for telemetry (remote assessment and monitoring), telepraxis (remote interventions), video call-based, and asynchronous telehealth. Perceived barriers to telehealth use-such as uncertainty about legal frameworks, data protection, and reduced quality of care-diminished significantly (P<.001, r=0.39). Post-intervention satisfaction was high, with a total median Training Evaluation Inventory score of 76 (IQR 13). Participants rated the course highly for its clarity, breadth of content, and inclusion of profession-specific modules. Qualitative feedback highlighted a desire for more hands-on demonstrations, interactive components, and guidance on institutional support and patient accessibility. Conclusions: A structured, on-demand telehealth course significantly improved health professionals' awareness, acceptance, and intention to use telehealth and reduced perceived barriers. While the findings highlight that targeted web-based training can increase clinicians' confidence and readiness to use telehealth, it remains uncertain whether this will lead to an increase in its utilization. Future initiatives should incorporate blended-learning formats with additional practical examples, real-time discussions, and ongoing support to enhance long-term integration of telehealth into clinical workflows. On a policy level, we suggest coordinated actions at the EU, national, and institutional levels to standardize telehealth education and facilitate its practical implementation in everyday clinical practice.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelHealth PersonnelTelemedicineAdultAustriaFemaleHumansInternetMaleMiddle Agedacceptancebarriersdigital healtheducationhealth care professionalsremote caretelehealthweb-based training

Identifiers

PMID40902201
PMCPMC12408057

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.