Analysis of Telemedicine Adoption and Challenges at Federal Medical Centre Asaba, Delta State, South South Nigeria

Telemedicine has the potential to extend specialist healthcare access to underserved communities in South South Nigeria, but adoption at public health institutions such as Federal Medical Centre Asaba faces infrastructure, policy, and patient acceptance challenges. This study analyses telemedicine service adoption and its operational challenges at Federal Medical Centre Asaba, Delta State. A mixed-methods descriptive study was conducted, combining a structured questionnaire survey of 160 healthcare workers with qualitative interviews involving 15 department heads. Variables examined included telemedicine platform availability, consultation frequency, technical reliability, patient acceptance, billing mechanisms, and training adequacy. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were applied. Literature from South South Nigerian hospital telemedicine contexts identifies low broadband stability, absence of a clear telemedicine billing and legal framework, and limited physician confidence in remote examination protocols as dominant adoption barriers. The TAM and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology provide the analytical framework. Findings indicate that telemedicine consultations represented less than 5 percent of outpatient contacts at the centre, with infrastructural limitations and staff training gaps cited most frequently as constraints. The study recommends dedicated high-bandwidth internet lines for telemedicine facilities, a Federal Ministry of Health telemedicine operational guideline specific to public hospitals, and structured residency-level telemedicine training programmes. Keywords: telemedicine adoption, Federal Medical Centre Asaba, Delta State, South South Nigeria, healthcare ICT.