“Is IT really good for all?” Evidence of different stakeholders’ perspectives on the digital transformation of hospitals in the French health context

Abstract

Over the last two decades, processes of digital transformation have been progressively implemented in the sphere of public services, including the health sector, albeit at difference paces depending on organizations’ levels of digital maturity. Although the nominal advantages of digitalizing health services are well identified in the conception phase, once implemented, the perceptions of different stakeholders tend to differentiate, even generating certain tensions. Based on qualitative grounded theory research approach among 15 different stakeholders from nine different hospitals of a regional health system located in the northern part of France, this study shows that different stakeholders perceived different advantages, such as improving the integration between the different stakeholders’ practices, improving care practices, offering more services, and reducing costs and increasing efficiency. However, a paradox also emerged in the contraposition between the need for higher perceived quality, which requires more investments, and the search for efficiency through the digital transformation of health services, which aims at reducing costs. We conclude by discussing the theoretical contributions and implications for practice.