Telemedicine Access and Outcomes Among Rural Providers in Madagascar: A Comparative Study

Telemedicine has emerged as a critical tool for improving healthcare access in underserved regions such as rural areas of Madagascar. Despite its potential benefits, implementation challenges remain significant. The research employs a comparative design with data collected from surveys administered to telemedicine users in two different regions of Madagascar. Quantitative methods are used for statistical analysis. Telemedicine access varied significantly between the study's sites, with one region achieving a 75% user satisfaction rate compared to 40%, highlighting regional disparities in service quality and reliability. This study underscores the importance of tailored telemedicine strategies to maximise benefits in rural Madagascar. Future research should explore cost-effectiveness and sustainability models. Health policymakers are advised to prioritise infrastructure development and training programmes for healthcare providers to enhance telemedicine efficacy. Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin_{\theta}\sum_i\ell(y_i,f_\theta(x_i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert_2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.