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.