Diverging views on healthcare co-creation: the social representations of telemedicine in the Italian press

Recent technological progress has led to several telemedicine services and tools. However, telemedicine is still in its early stages, and its potential has yet to be fully exploited. This study aims to analyse how telemedicine is represented by the Italian press, gauging its relevance in public discourse and investigating the frames used to communicate about telemedicine in the press. The methodology comprised qualitative and quantitative text analyses: (1) identifying the total number of Italian newspaper articles (1990-2022) on the topic through a salience analysis; (2) analysing 5,205 representative headlines from six Italian newspapers using frame analysis. Salience analysis shows that telemedicine remains an emerging topic, often discussed in correspondence with specific issues (e.g. COVID-19). Framing analysis shows that telemedicine is represented through eight frames predominantly represented in terms of both clinical and economic advantages. Emerging representations of telemedicine within the Italian press emphasize its advantages, portraying it positively. However, as it often happens with emergent technologies, telemedicine encounters possible antecedents for resistance. Thus, the identified frames highlight how a segment of public opinion considers telemedicine as a tool that improves collaboration through patients, healthcare professionals and providers to co-create value for the socio-cultural environment.