3. Results
The demographic data of the participants are presented in Table 1. Five themes were generated and summarized from the results, including: inadequate laws and vague policies, the implementation strategy fails to meet public needs, lack of organizational support, lacks of quality and convenience of the system, and inadequate public perception and attitudes (Table 2).
3.1. Unsuitable laws and vague policies
3.1.1. Restricted and unclear definition of regulations
This was reported as the most fundamental obstacle. Many respondents indicated that according to the current health- care regulations, the only act relevant to telecare – the Physician Act – states that physicians shall not administer or
prescribe treatment unless they have examined the patient personally. In addition, telecare relevant regulations are not clear, in which the telemedicine and telecare are vaguely defined, and the execution range, responsibility, accountability, and other specifications are poorly stated. These regulations are insufficient to provide explicit protection to the healthcare workers, resulting in worries about risking medical malpractice. Further, without the proper legislation and regulations in place, manufacturers are less willing to invest in telecare medical equipment due to the small-scale profitability of this business, resulting in the lack of available equipment for telecare professionals. In addition, improper regulatory restrictions also limit the flexibility of development for the information industry, thus affecting the development and promotion of relevant equipment.