Researchers: Moti Amar¹, Ben Bulmash², Ofir Ben-Assuli¹, Tsipi Heart¹

Background: Tyto is a device that remotely transmits patients' images and vital signs to physicians via video during telemedicine sessions. Despite its assumed benefits and HMO efforts to encourage adoption, uptake among physicians, primarily GPs and pediatricians, remains in its early stages.

Objectives: To model and test factors affecting the intention of physicians to use Tyto as part of a remote medical appointment with patients.

Method: Mixed qualitative and quantitative methods were used. First, an exploratory study was conducted using a preliminary questionnaire, a focus group discussion, and in-depth interviews to identify significant factors. These were then triangulated with theories explaining innovation and technology adoption. Five independent factors emerged as more important. These were used in a causal model tested on questionnaire data. Ordinal logistic regression was used for the analysis.

Findings: Perceived Usefulness was the strongest factor affecting intention to adopt Tyto, with peers' opinion marginally significant. Perceived usefulness fully mediated the effect of perceived ease of use and partially mediated the effect of peers' opinion on intention to adopt. Facilitating conditions and financial benefits were insignificant. Gender and clinic location were the only significant control variables.

Conclusions: The results suggest that physicians should first perceive Tyto as clinically effective before considering adoption. This can be achieved through demonstrations and evidence from colleagues, rather than by financial incentives.
This study contributes to both theory and practice in the domain of technology and innovation adoption in healthcare. From a theoretical perspective, the complete mediation of perceived ease of use by perceived usefulness is interesting, as is the assertion that trust in technology is an essential factor when considering adoption in sensitive domains.

Recommendations: For policymakers, the results highlight the importance of demonstrating the clinical benefits of Tyto directly, and through influential users, above and beyond financial incentives and organizational extrinsic effort.

Research end date: 01/2026