Patients' resistance towards health information technology: A perspective of the dual factor model of IT usage

Abstract

This paper presents a research model of patients' resistance towards Health Information Technology (HIT). In particularly it examines patients' reactions towards a new Patient Portal System (PPS). This work provides an integration of the technology acceptance and resistance to change literatures. The Resistance to Change construct from the User Resistance Model (URM), and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) are bridged using the dual-factor model of technology usage. This model explains the asymmetric effects of use inhibitors such as Resistance to Change on use enablers such as Performance Expectancy and Effort Expectancy. The integrative model is empirically supported using survey data collected from patients of a large public international hospital. Total of 265 valid responses were used for the data analysis. This study highlights the importance of integrating resistance to change with the technology use research especially in healthcare settings that is considered to be under researched. Moreover, it is considered to be one of the first studies in IS that brings in patients' perspectives of new HIT.