Business intelligence and the leverage of information in healthcare organizations from a managerial perspective: a systematic literature review and research agenda
Journal of Health Organization and Management
ISSN: 1477-7266
Article publication date: 29 March 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Business intelligence (BI) systems and tools are deemed to be a transformative source with the potential to contribute to reshaping the way different healthcare organizations’ (HCOs) services are offered and managed. However, this emerging field of research still appears underdeveloped and fragmented. Hence, this paper aims to reconciling, analyzing and synthesizing different strands of managerial-oriented literature on BI in HCOs and to enhance both theoretical and applied future contributions.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature-based framework was developed to establish and guide a three-stage state-of-the-art systematic literature review (SLR). The SLR was undertaken adopting a hybrid methodology that combines a bibliometric and a content analysis.
Findings
In total, 34 peer-review articles were included. Results revealed significant heterogeneity in theoretical basis and methodological strategies. Nonetheless, the knowledge structure of this research’s stream seems to be primarily composed of five clusters of interconnected topics: (1) decision-making, relevant capabilities and value creation; (2) user satisfaction and quality; (3) process management, organizational change and financial effectiveness; (4) decision-support information, dashboard and key performance indicators; and (5) performance management and organizational effectiveness.
Originality/value
To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first SLR providing a business and management-related state-of-the-art on the topic. Besides, the paper offers an original framework disentangling future research directions from each emerged cluster into issues pertaining to BI implementation, utilization and impact in HCOs. The paper also discusses the need of future contributions to explore possible integrations of BI with emerging data-driven technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence) in HCOs, as the role of BI in addressing sustainability challenges.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
We wish to show our appreciation to the experts and practitioners from the field who supported us in establishing the present review (i.e. in setting the perimeter of this study and in defining the conceptual boundaries). The paper has also received constructive comments from participants at SIDREA biennial conference “Digitalization and intelligent technologies for the governance of enterprises: the contribution of business economics to the national economic system” (Lucca, Italy, October 20, 2022) where methodological choices and major findings have been presented and discussed. This research was conducted while Edoardo Trincanato was a Ph.D. student, and he acknowledges that his doctoral fellowship (2021-2024) was financed by The MIUR Department of Excellence Project 2018-2022 (University of Ferrara, Department of Economics and Management).
Citation
Trincanato, E. and Vagnoni, E. (2024), "Business intelligence and the leverage of information in healthcare organizations from a managerial perspective: a systematic literature review and research agenda", Journal of Health Organization and Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-02-2023-0039
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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