Connected but cautious: the role of social influence, performance expectancy and medicolegal risk in digital healthcare adoption

Purpose This research examines the determinants affecting the adoption of digital technologies within Pakistan's healthcare sector, employing the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) framework. Design/methodology/approach This study evaluated the roles of social influence (SI), medicolegal risk (MLR) and performance expectancy (PE) in shaping the adoption of digital technologies (ADT) and their impact on operational performance (OP). Data were collected via a survey from 352 healthcare professionals and analyzed employing the structural equation modeling technique through Smart-Pls. Findings The results indicate that SI has a positive effect on adaptive decision-making, particularly in hierarchical institutional contexts, whereas market legal regulations act as a notable obstacle due to legal uncertainty and regulatory ambiguity. PE was shown to directly promote adoption and also mitigate the adverse impact of MLR. ADT was additionally confirmed as a mediating variable connecting external influences to operational outcomes. Originality/value This research expands the UTAUT framework by integrating MLR as a domain-specific inhibitor and analyzing key constructs in the context of Hofstede's cultural dimensions pertinent to Pakistan, including high power distance and moderate uncertainty avoidance. This study provides a context-specific, empirically supported extension of the UTAUT framework applicable to healthcare systems in developing nations.