Willingness to Try a New Communication Technology: Perceptual Factors and Task Situations in a Health Care Context‪.‬

The study uses data from a study of telemedicine in two rural, Ohio (United States) counties to test predictions about individuals' stated intent to receive medical care through videoconferencing. The authors follow communication scholars in predicting that the perceived attributes of a new technology will significantly affect willingness to try the technology. They draw on the work of marketing scholars to argue that task situations (e.g., routine, emergency, and specialist medical care) will affect the relative importance of the perceived attributes. Results supported both predictions. The authors believe that the results have practical value for those seeking to encourage the use of telemedicine and, furthermore, that the results have both theoretical and practical implications for business communication scholars and professionals. Keywords: adoption; health care; situation; technology; telemedicine