Journal of Modern Medical

Introduction
One of the new technologies used in healthcare centers is cloud computing, which reduces the cost of processing health data by improving reliability, flexibility, availability, and processing throughput. This technology has the capability of virtualization and network-based computing to provide various services. These services are provided based on user demand and through public, group, and/or private networks. One of the advantages of this technology is the dynamic storage of computations and data management online and according to the user’s needs. Factors related to technology, organization and environment have been introduced as factors affecting the adoption of cloud computing. Comparative advantage, complexity, technological readiness, support of senior managers, and the size of organizations can directly affect the adoption of this technology. Acceptance of any technology by users also plays an important role in its success or failure. In this regard, different technology acceptance models have been developed. The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) is one of the latest models of technology acceptance that has received great attention from scholars. This model has four components of performance expectancy, social influence, effort expectancy, and facilitating conditions. In this study, we aim to investigate the factors affecting the acceptance of cloud computing by the employees of teaching hospitals affiliated to Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences using the UTAUT model.

Methods
This is a descriptive-analytical study with a cross-sectional design that was conducted in 2021. The study was conducted in three teaching hospitals, including one general hospital (Shaheed Mohammadi, with 450 beds) and two specialized hospitals, one for children (with 152 beds) and one for obstetrics and gynecology (with 139 beds). The study population included all personnel of these three hospitals (n=1062). The sample size was determined 285 using Cochran’s formula. The questionnaire was created electronically, and the link was sent to the participants via SMS. The tool for collecting data was the UTAUT questionnaire. This questionnaire has 28 items, including 7 items for surveying demographic characteristics and 21 items for measuring six dimensions of performance expectancy (4 items), effort expectancy (4 items), social influence (4 items), facilitating conditions (4 items), behavioral intention to use (3 questions) and usage behavior (2 items). The items are rated on a five-point Likert scale from 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (completely agree). After completing the questionnaires, the data was entered into SPSS software, version 24, and the data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and analytical tests (independent t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation test). The significant level was set at 0.05. In addition, LISREL software was used to determine the impact of each variable.

Results
Out of 285 questionnaires, 269 were completed and returned. Table 1 shows the mean scores for the dimensions and items of UTAUT.



Conclusion
The perceptions of hospital staff regarding the usefulness of cloud computing can affect their intention to use this technology. Designing cloud computing in such a way that it is easy for them to learn and use can lead to its acceptance and success. The conditions of the organization (social influence) such as the support of senior managers and the organizational culture, cause more acceptance of this technology in hospitals. Awareness of the existence of necessary infrastructure (facilitating conditions) are also among the key factors effective in the acceptance of cloud computing by hospital staff.

Ethical Considerations
Compliance with ethical guidelines
This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences with the reference number IR.HUMS.REC.2018.285. The study adhered to the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its subsequent amendments in all stages.

Funding
The study was funded by the Vice President of Research and Technology at Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences (Project No.: 990513).

Authors' contributions
Conceptualization: Mohammad Hosein Haghighi Hayavi and Mohammad Dehghani; Resources, visualization: Mohammad Dehghani; Supervision and project management: Mohammad Hosein Haghighi Hayavi; Methodology, verification, analysis, research and writing: All authors.

Conflicts of interest
The authors declared no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgements
The authors express gratitude to the personnel of teaching hospitals of Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences for their assistance in conducting this study by completing the questionnaire.



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