Digital health (DH) in healthcare is more frequently used by line professionals, such nurses and physicians, while executing care processes. However, nowadays research is not able to state if ...outcomes related to its implementation are unequivocally positive or negative in terms of healthcare performance. In this paper we aim at contributing to this relevant debate by introducing the concept of healthcare resilience in the discourse. Being resilient, namely having the capability to absorb strain and keep working even when things are difficult is crucial to allow healthcare organizations taking negative events on when they, unavoidably, occur. Negative events, such as errors or operational features, threat healthcare performance and patient safety in everyday healthcare practice. We developed a hybrid literature- and empirical-informed conceptual model and tested it by using data collected through a multi-respondent survey. This paper: 1) elaborates on the theory of absorptive capacity (ACAP) and introduces the new concept of patient-specific knowledge ACAP; 2) offers insights about the relationship between DH and ACAP, a relationship not enough analysed; 3) proposes a new way to measure resilience in healthcare.
•Healthcare resilience helps contrasting adverse event occurrences.•Patient Specific Knowledge ACAP is the capability to rapidly acquire and exploit knowledge about a specific patient.•PSKACAP mediates the relationship between digital health and hospital resilience.•hybrid literature- and empirical-informed conceptual model.•data collected through a multi-respondent survey (medical doctors and nurses, IT managers, Clinical Risk managers).
Purpose
In the healthcare management domain, there is a lack of knowledge concerning the role of resilience practices in improving patient safety. The purpose of this paper is to understand the ...capabilities that enable healthcare resilience and how digital technologies can support these capabilities.
Design/methodology/approach
Within- and cross-case research methodology was used to study resilience mechanisms and capabilities in healthcare and to understand how digital health technologies impact healthcare resilience. The authors analyze data from two Italian hospitals through the lens of the operational failure literature and anchor the findings to the theory of dynamic capabilities.
Findings
Five different dynamic capabilities emerged as crucial for managing operational failure. Furthermore, in relation to these capabilities, medical, organizational and patient-related knowledge surfaced as major enablers. Finally, the findings allowed the authors to better explain the role of knowledge in healthcare resilience and how digital technologies boost this role.
Practical implications
When trying to promote a culture of patient safety, the research suggests healthcare managers should focus on promoting and enhancing resilience capabilities. Furthermore, when evaluating the role of digital technologies, healthcare managers should consider their importance in enabling these dynamic capabilities.
Originality/value
Although operations management (OM) research points to resilience as a crucial behavior in the supply chain, this is the first research that investigates the concept of resilience in healthcare systems from an OM perspective, with only a few authors having studied similar concepts, such as “workaround” practices.
