Investigating remote collaboration over time: The case of a U.S. telemedicine network

The aim of this paper is to investigate the factors that influence the continuous use of collaborative technologies over time. We conducted a case study on a major telemedicine network in the U.S. The analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data suggests that integration with the regular workflow, stable availability of professionals at remote locations, and the emergence of spontaneous knowledge diffusion are associated with the success of telemedicine practices over time. Moreover, it shows that the limited awareness of the coordinating staff about the activities performed remotely reduces the use of telemedicine. However, this effect is mitigated by the activation of telemedicine collaborations with other organizations, which belong to the same subnetworks. Based on the findings, we derive theoretical and practical implications for telemedicine and work at distance.