JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

In the context of the digital transformation of all areas of society, healthcare providers are also under pressure to change. New technologies and a change in patients' self-perception and health awareness require rethinking the provision of healthcare services. New technologies and the extensive use of data can change provision processes, optimize them or replace them with new services. The inpatient sector, which accounts for a particularly large share of healthcare spending, plays a major role in this regard.

Objective:

This paper examines the influences of current trends in digitization on inpatient service delivery.

Methods:

We conducted a narrative review. This was applied to identify the international trends in digital transformation as they relate to hospitals. Future trends were considered from different perspectives. Using defined inclusion criteria, international peer-reviewed articles published from 2016 to 2021 were selected. The extracted core trends were then contextualized for the German hospital sector with 12 experts.

Results:

We included 44 articles in the literature analysis. From these, eight core trends could be deduced. A heuristic impact model of the trends was derived from the data obtained and the experts' assessments. This model provides a development corridor for the interaction of the trends with regard to technological intensity and supply quality. Trend accelerators and barriers were identified.

Conclusions:

The impact analysis shows the dependencies of a successful digital transformation for the hospital sector. Although data interoperability is of particular importance for technological intensity, the changed self-image of patients is shown to be decisive with regard to the quality of care. We show that hospitals must find their role in new digitally driven ecosystems, adapt their business models to customer expectations, and use up-to-date communication and information technologies.