Telehealth adoption in specialized rehabilitation centers in Portugal: A cross-sectional study of health care professionals' perspectives
Joana Monteiro, Miguel Almeida, Paula Amorim, Cristina JácomeAbstract
Background:
In Portugal, specialized rehabilitation centers integrated into the National Health Service play a fundamental role in the care of individuals with disabling conditions, such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury. Telehealth may support inpatient rehabilitation and continuity of care after hospital discharge; however, evidence regarding health care professionals' perceptions in these centers remains limited. This study aimed to analyze health care professionals' perceptions regarding the use and acceptance of telehealth in clinical practice within specialized rehabilitation centers in Portugal.
Methods:
An observational, cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted using an online questionnaire administered between December 2023 and March 2024 to health care professionals working at three National Health Service–integrated Specialized rehabilitation centers. The questionnaire collected sociodemographic and professional data and assessed telehealth use and acceptance based on established technology acceptance models, including perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, trust in technology, institutional support, and perceived barriers.
Results:
A total of 136 health care professionals participated, most of whom were women (76.5%) and aged 31–40 years (46.3%). Only 22.1% reported using telehealth, primarily for teleconsultations (63.3%) and tele-education (26.7%), most frequently weekly (36.7%). The telephone (73.3%) and WhatsApp (40%) were the most commonly used technologies. Although 91% of respondents perceived telehealth as useful, fewer than half perceived it as easy to use (46%). Trust in technology (39%) and perceived institutional support (29%) were considered insufficient. The main perceived barriers were limited technological infrastructure (65%) and low digital literacy (52%).
Conclusions:
Despite widespread recognition of telehealth's usefulness in the specialized rehabilitation centers, its implementation remains constrained by infrastructural limitations and low digital literacy. Future research should assess the impact of targeted training and technological investment on telehealth adoption and effectiveness in rehabilitation settings.