Unfolding the relationship between digital health and patient safety: The roles of absorptive capacity and healthcare resilience

Abstract

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.