JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Women with gestational diabetes require regular follow-ups and overall management in order to normalize maternal blood glucose and improve pregnancy outcomes. With the advancements made in the digital field, telemedicine is gaining popularity over traditional healthcare approaches in different medical fields. As for gestational diabetes, telemedicine solutions seem to improve women’s quality of life and enhance self-management.

Objective:

The study aims at understanding, from patients’ and health professionals’ perspectives, how an innovative telemedicine platform is adopted within healthcare establishments. The diffusion of innovation theory is used as a lens for examining factors that influence the adoption and diffusion of a telemedicine platform – mydiabby – in healthcare services and among patients.

Methods:

The study was conducted in twelve diabetes services in France using mydiabby for monitoring and managing patients with gestational diabetes. A qualitative research approach has been adopted for collecting and analyzing data. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with health professionals working in different health structures in France, and sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients that have been using mydiabby and monitored by the providers we interviewed. Data was analyzed inductively using a thematic analysis approach.

Results:

Different determinants need to be taken into consideration when adopting an innovative health technology. By drawing on the diffusion of innovation theory, a set of intrinsic factors (the related advantages, compatibility, ease of use, testability, and observability of the telemedicine platform) has been identified as affecting the adoption of mydiabby and its diffusion within French public health establishments. In addition to the intrinsic factors associated with the telemedicine platform’s characteristics, the study highlights a set of extrinsic factors (geographic, economic, demographic, and other contextual factors) that also affects the adoption and diffusion of telemedicine solutions in gestational diabetes.

Conclusions:

Even though telemedicine in gestational diabetes is still not recognized as a medical “practice”, health providers support its adoption and use in France. As for the patients we interviewed, they consider it as an efficient way to manage their gestational diabetes. This study can be a step forward for convincing the government to recognize these innovative practices as medical acts.