The challenges of digital transformation in healthcare: An interdisciplinary literature review, framework, and future research agenda

Abstract

Digital transformation in healthcare is a strategic field for both scholars and practitioners. In this study, we attempted to analyze the current state of the art about the pervasive role of digital technologies in healthcare and to identify how the COVID-19 pandemic forced all the systems to disruptively adopt novel digital technologies, which affected both management and business sides. To elucidate the role of digital technologies in healthcare, we performed a structured literature review about the state of the art of digital transformation in healthcare to identify how the healthcare sector is undergoing a renaissance due to the pandemic. Our findings show that future research falls into three promising areas: (a) digital health care services enabled by digital technologies, (b) stakeholders' engagement through digital technologies for health care services, and (c) value impact generated by the digital transformation for healthcare stakeholders. We link these areas together, showing how the different digital technologies (smart health technologies, data-enabled and data collection technologies, Industry 4.0 tools and technologies, cognitive technologies, and drug & disease technologies) lead to the provisions of digital services, operational efficiencies, and value creation in the healthcare system. We conclude the article by suggesting various directions for future research and implications for management and practice.