“You Think We are in the Stone Age, but We Have Already Made Progress—Where are You?”: A Qualitative Study of Ultra-orthodox Women’s Telemedicine Service Usage in Israel

Abstract

This study explores Ultra-Orthodox Jewish women’s attitudes toward video-consultation usage in Israeli primary care settings. In-depth interviews were conducted with twenty-two women from diverse Ultra-Orthodox communities in Israel, using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Despite traditionally limited digital tool usage, participants showed readiness for video-consultations’ adoption through dedicated ‘kosher’ medical devices. Key motivations included after-hours accessibility, convenience, and privacy, while barriers involved cultural stigma and technology concerns. Healthcare organizations should develop dedicated telemedicine devices aligned with religious values, offering insights for implementing culturally sensitive services for religious minority groups.