Impacto de la telemedicina en el acceso a servicios de salud en zonas rurales de Bolivia
Keywords:
telemedicina, salud rural, acceso sanitario, Bolivia, salud digitalAbstract
El propósito de este estudio fue analizar el impacto de la telemedicina en el acceso a servicios de salud en zonas rurales de Bolivia, considerando su contribución a la reducción de barreras geográficas, económicas, institucionales y tecnológicas. La investigación se desarrolló bajo un enfoque cuantitativo, descriptivo y transversal. La muestra estuvo conformada por 137 habitantes de comunidades rurales de los departamentos de La Paz, Cochabamba, Potosí y Santa Cruz, seleccionados mediante muestreo no probabilístico por criterios de acceso, residencia rural y experiencia previa o reciente con servicios de salud presenciales o virtuales. Se aplicó un cuestionario estructurado con dimensiones relacionadas con acceso oportuno, reducción de desplazamientos, continuidad de atención, percepción de calidad, alfabetización digital y barreras de conectividad. Los resultados evidenciaron que la telemedicina favoreció el acceso inicial a orientación médica, redujo tiempos de traslado y permitió mayor seguimiento en consultas generales, salud materna, enfermedades crónicas y atención preventiva. Sin embargo, también se identificaron limitaciones asociadas a conectividad inestable, bajo dominio tecnológico, disponibilidad irregular de dispositivos y desconfianza en la consulta virtual. Se concluye que la telemedicina puede fortalecer el acceso sanitario rural en Bolivia si se integra con infraestructura digital, acompañamiento comunitario, capacitación de usuarios y articulación con el sistema presencial de salud.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Roberto Carlos Vera, María Dolores Gómez Pinto, Iveth Ruby Llanos Villegas (Author)
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