E-COMMERCE ADOPTION IN HEALTHCARE: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN MADURAI DISTRICT

Abstract

In the present digital era, the healthcare sector is undergoing significant changes with the introduction of e-commerce-based services such as online medicine purchase, digital consultation, and online booking of diagnostic services. These developments have the potential to improve accessibility, convenience, and efficiency in healthcare delivery for the people of Madurai District. However, the adoption and effective utilization of such online healthcare services remain uneven among different sections of the population. Many users continue to depend on traditional methods of accessing healthcare due to concerns about the authenticity and quality of medicines purchased online, fear of online payment risks, delays in delivery, lack of digital skills, and problems related to internet connectivity. Moreover, limited awareness and lack of trust in online healthcare platforms further restrict their widespread acceptance. There is limited empirical evidence on the level of awareness, usage patterns, opportunities, and challenges related to e-commerce adoption in healthcare in Madurai District. Hence, the present study seeks to analyze these issues and identify the factors influencing adoption in order to suggest suitable measures for improving the effective use of e-commerce healthcare services. The study is based on both primary and secondary data. To analyze the adoption of e-commerce in healthcare and its opportunities and challenges in Madurai District, 75 respondents were selected as the sample for the study using the convenient sampling method. The collected data were analyzed with the help of various statistical measures such as Percentage and Weighted average technique.