Change management in hospital digital transformation: A roadmap to support planning and implementation for humanisation and efficiency through technology

Abstract

Digitalisation offers promising solutions for improving efficiency and accessibility in healthcare. However, it is crucial to balance digital advancements with humanisation. The aim of this study is to support digital transformation in healthcare by striking a balance between the digital and human components, by proposing a roadmap for digital transformation, prioritizing people and organisational culture. An initial theoretical and contextual investigation guided the preliminary roadmap, addressing concerns and solutions from the literature. Then, an empirical study was conducted via interviews with Portuguese hospital managers, offering practical insights into initiatives for hospital digitalisation. These findings refined the roadmap with real-world perspectives. The roadmap is presented as a theoretically informed and empirically refined planning proposal; it has not yet been piloted in real-world settings or compared with existing implementation frameworks. Managers highlighted the human dimension as critical to successful digital transformation, reinforcing the need for such a roadmap, an integrated approach that considers technology, processes and people within organisational culture. Humanisation is treated as a measurable target, monitored through patient-experience and staff-experience indicators. Theoretically, this study advances the literature on change management and digital transformation in healthcare. Practically, it offers an exploratory roadmap to guide healthcare organisations in structuring, sequencing and monitoring digital transformation initiatives. Transferability to other contexts requires local tailoring and future piloting with broader stakeholder involvement.