Information Technology Ambidexterity, Digital Dynamic Capability, and Knowledge Processes as Enablers of Patient Agility: Empirical Study.

Rogier Van De Wetering,Johan Versendaal

doi:10.2196/32336

Abstract

There is a limited understanding of information technology's (IT) role as an enabler of patient agility and the department's ability to respond to patients' needs and wishes adequately. This study aims to contribute to the insights of the validity of the hypothesized relationship among IT resources, practices and capabilities, and hospital departments' knowledge processes, and the department's ability to adequately sense and respond to patient needs and wishes (ie, patient agility). This study conveniently sampled data from 107 clinical hospital departments in the Netherlands and used structural equation modeling for model assessment. IT ambidexterity positively enhanced the development of a digital dynamic capability (β=.69; t4999=13.43; P<.001). Likewise, IT ambidexterity also positively impacted the hospital department's knowledge processes (β=.32; t4999=2.85; P=.005). Both digital dynamic capability (β=.36; t4999=3.95; P<.001) and knowledge processes positively influenced patient agility (β=.33; t4999=3.23; P=.001). IT ambidexterity promotes taking advantage of IT resources and experiments to reshape patient services and enhance patient agility.

Highlights

BackgroundIn the age of digital transformation, modern hospitals need to simplify their current care delivery processes and sustainable business models to contain the rising health care costs and address the needs of the more engaged and informed patient
Decision makers and stakeholders across the hospital need to make sure that digital resources and technological innovations are aligned and deployed with care to enhance efficiencies, decision-making, and quality of services so that personalized and patient-centered care can be delivered [154]
Using data from 107 hospital departments in the Netherlands, this study showed that the simultaneous engagement of information technology (IT) exploration and IT exploitation within hospital departments enhances the qualities and competencies to manage innovative digital technologies for new patient service development

Summary

Introduction

Emerging technologies like big data analytics, the Internet of Things, distributed ledger technologies, social media, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud-based solutions are, in essence, more than promising. These innovative technologies can truly disrupt the quality of processes and services, the effectiveness of medical outcomes, and the productivity of employees, and change lives [12,13,14,15,16]. Objective: This study aims to contribute to the insights of the validity of the hypothesized relationship among IT resources, practices and capabilities, and hospital departments’ knowledge processes, and the department’s ability to adequately sense and respond to patient needs and wishes (ie, patient agility). Conclusions: IT ambidexterity promotes taking advantage of IT resources and experiments to reshape patient services and enhance patient agility

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Conclusion