INTRODUCTION
The application of information and communication technologies (ICT) in healthcare services and the desire of patients to take more control of their health have transformed the healthcare system in the 21st century. The emergence of e-health could, on the one hand, improve the quality of patient care, reduce costs and increase revenues, and, on the other hand, satisfy patients’ need to be well informed about their health status [29]. E-health significantly improves the healthcare process because health information can be assessed and exchanged through digital health systems [32], and this information (e.g. previous diagnoses and prescriptions) is available anytime, anywhere via the Internet.
In recent years, during the pandemic, e-health is practically feasible and appropriate to support patients and health care providers [45], it provides support for psychological problems caused by COVID-19 isolation and eases the problem of evaluating health care services and solving patients’ information needs [41]. Cyberspace as a phenomenon reduces the relevance of distance, which could be an important issue for the health system not only during a pandemic but also in general.
E-health encompasses content, connectivity, commerce, community and clinical care [34, 56]. It can collect, organise, interpret and use clinical data and manage outcomes and quality of care measures, and e-health applications can facilitate access for users with limited computer experience and for older patients [29].
The involvement of different stakeholders with different backgrounds, experiences and values makes e-health a complex social system, and understanding the perspective of users and patients is essential [48]. This study aims to understand the factors that may influence the adoption of e-health services by patients. The technology acceptance models were used as a basis for the research, but new factors were added, such as the perceived social, personal and individual benefits of e-health services or COVID-19 anxiety. The novelty of the research is the previously described extension of technology acceptance models from the patient’s point of view and the fact that this research focuses not only on willingness to try and actual use, but also on long-term intention to use and satisfaction. Another added value of the study is the analysis of the antecedents of e-health adaptation in a country in the Central and Eastern European region, where e-health was not a popular and commonly used service before the pandemic.