Telemedicine in Action: Improving Perceived Healthcare Accessibility in Rural China

作者：Zhongmou Huang, Xizi Wan, Shaojie Zhou, Miao Yu · 发表于：Health care science · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1002/hcs2.70017 · 被引用次数：8 · 研究领域：Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation、Healthcare Systems and Reforms、Mobile Health and mHealth Applications

Objective: The scarcity of healthcare resources and inadequate access to medical services in rural and remote areas are pervasive challenges many countries face, particularly in the developing world. Telemedicine, with its capacity to overcome geographical barriers and provide patients with real-time medical services, has shown considerable potential in addressing these issues, attracting widespread attention. Compact medical communities and family doctor systems play important roles in improving healthcare accessibility. However, despite the critical nature of patients' perceptions of healthcare accessibility, research in this domain is sparse. This study aimed to explore the impact of telemedicine on rural residents' perceived healthcare accessibility in China, analyze the mechanisms underpinning this relationship, and elucidate the roles of compact medical communities and the family doctor system. Methods: Survey data from 3311 rural residents were analyzed using a probit model, instrumental variables, and subgroup regression analyses to ascertain causal effects, perform heterogeneity analysis, examine mechanisms, and ascertain the robustness of the findings. Results: Telemedicine significantly enhanced rural residents' perceived healthcare accessibility, with particularly notable benefits for those in sparsely populated areas, regions with high-speed internet access, within the purview of compact healthcare consortiums, and those with access to family doctor services. Fur...