2010 Volume 47 Issue 2 Pages 81-91
Techniques in telemedicine system have advanced lately and its introduction into pediatric emergency care is expected. For the present study, a questionnaire survey was conducted with the guardians of children by employing the contingent valuation method (CVM) to elucidate the needs of area residents for utilizing telemedicine system in the early emergency care of children. In the survey, the guardians' willingness to pay (WTP) for the use of a tele-consultation system was investigated by asking the amount one would be willing to pay out-of-pocket for each use of the system. In particular, the study included comparisons among the attributes of respondents and that between two areas in Hokkaido with different distances to reach medical resources. The results of the analysis indicated that there was no significant difference in the WTP due to the distance to reach medical resources, indicating that the need for a tele-consultation system is not dependent on the distance to medical facilities. In the comparison of the respondents' attributes, on the other hand, WTP tended to be higher in those groups with only one child, with a greater income, and who possess knowledge of telemedicine.
