Abstract:

Aim: The objective is to determine levels of digital literacy, knowledge and perception of telemedicine, becoming important with innovations in communication and information technologies, and to reveal correlations between them. Methods: In the study, data was collected cross-sectionally, via on-line and face-to-face surveys. 334 healthcare workers from one tertiary and two second-line hospitals were included in the study. Correlations between variables were tested with structural equation model. To determine differences between groups, two sample t-tests were used. Results: Knowledge of telemedicine was found to mediate the relationship between digital literacy and perception of telemedicine. In this study, perception of telemedicine (x̄= 3.392) and digital literacy level (x̄= 3.527) were found to be above average, while knowledge of telemedicine was found to be below average (x̄= 2.090). Perception of telemedicine was found to increase positively in participants with telemedicine experience (t(332) = 4.979, p<0.05). Conclusion: The importance of digital literacy and knowledge of telemedicine is revealed in creating positive perception in healthcare professionals about the use of telemedicine. For the success of telemedicine applications, it may be recommended to include these topics in training programs for healthcare professionals.

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