Do Patients' Privacy Concerns Influence Their Intention toward Medical Image Exchange Consent in Taiwan?

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to examine patients' concerns surrounding information privacy and their intention toward medical image exchange consent. Patients' concerns about information privacy in terms of collection, unauthorized access, errors and secondary use all have significant relationships with patients' intention toward medical image exchange consent in Taiwan. Trust is the foundation for both parties. In this study, we aimed to determine the moderating effect of trust in order to examine patients' intention toward medical image exchange consent under the influence of their information privacy concerns. Three hundred and fifty patients responded to the survey, which yielded a 92.3% response rate. The results of data analysis revealed that patients' information privacy concerns had no significant relationship with patients' intention toward medical image exchange consent. After considering the moderating effect of trust, patients' information privacy concerns do have a significant relationship with patients' intention toward medical image exchange consent, however, the R-square was only 4.5%. Based on this research result, we modified the research framework in order to examine patients' information privacy concerns in terms of collection/non-collection. The R-square of the modified framework was 18.6%, and both collection and non-collection had significant relationships with patients' intention toward medical image exchange consent. Finally, the implications, limitations and future research have been discussed.