The role of IT ambidexterity, digital dynamic capability and knowledge processes as enablers of patient agility: an empirical study

Abstract

There is a limited understanding of IT's role as a crucial enabler of patient agility and the department's ability to respond to patient's needs and wishes adequately. This study's objective is to contribute to the insights of the validity of the hypothesized relationship between 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, i.e., patient agility. This study conveniently sampled data from 107 clinical hospital departments in the Netherlands and uses structural equation modeling for model assessment. IT ambidexterity positively enhances the development of a digital dynamic capability. Likewise, IT ambidexterity also positively impacts the hospital department's knowledge processes. Both digital dynamic capability and knowledge processes positively influence patient agility. IT ambidexterity promotes taking advantage of IT resources and experiments to reshape patient services and enhance patient agility.

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

“…These two organizational capabilities are crucial for organizations' success [31]. Hence, our paper perceives patient agility as a higher-order manifested type of dynamic capability that allows hospital departments to adequately sense and respond to patient needs, demands, and opportunities within a turbulent and fast-paced hospital ecosystem context [43,84,102,103].…”

“…The digital dynamic capability allows hospital departments, for example, to absorb and process sensitive patient information better, support clinicians in their decision-making processes, exchange clinical data, and facilitate patient health data accessibility [43,122]. As such, developing this capability makes the department more receptive to new patient data and information.…”

“…Second, this study tries to unfold the complementary effect of IT ambidexterity and digital dynamic capability on hospital departments' knowledge processes and their ability to adequately sense and respond to patient needs and wishes (ie, patient agility). Health care processes require close collaboration between different clinical departments and disciplines, and IT is crucial in facilitating effective knowledge processes between key stakeholders (eg, physicians, nurses, and health information management professionals) [8,[41][42][43]. Hence, IT-driven knowledge processes can enhance patient treatment processes and patient agility.…”

“…Gaining these insights is essential, as hospitals are actively exploring their digital options and innovations, and transforming their clinical processes and interactions with patients using digital technologies [43,44]. For instance, clinicians who use digital innovations in their clinical practice (eg, mobile handheld devices and apps) can increase error prevention and improve patient-centered care [45][46][47][48].…”

Digitalization and Sustainable Competitive Performance in Small–Medium Enterprises: A Moderation Mediation Model

“…Due to limited resources, SMEs use intangible skills and capabilities to gain competitiveness in the turbulent market [81] and improve their sustainable performance [70]. For instance, intangible capabilities (i.e., digital capabilities) enable enterprises to use the resources most efficiently and result in enhanced sustainable performance [82]. In emerging SMEs, digital capabilities are considered essential for superior sustainable profitability.…”