Enhancing hospital resilience: Dynamic capabilities in the digital age

Background and Purpose: Public healthcare is closely related to public welfare. With uncertain events becoming more frequent, public healthcare organizations’ ability to survive and thrive in dynamic environments has become critical. As the pillar of the system, resilient public hospitals help maintain the sustainability of healthcare services in adverse situations. Integrating digital technologies into the system becomes imperative for resilience, especially during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explores the effect of digital technologies’ dynamic capability on enhancing resilience in public hospitals. It creates a framework combining dynamic capabilities theory with resilience, with innovative applications in healthcare in developing countries. Methodology: This study analysed 249 validated online questionnaires from management and staff of public hospitals in China using structural equation modelling partial least squares (SEM-PLS) to identify and assess the effect of digital technologies on public hospitals’ resilience. Findings: This study finds a positive effect of the synergy and innovative capabilities of digital technologies on public hospital resilience, indicating that investing in digital healthcare applications is significant for enhancing the robustness, adaptability, and flexibility of hospital operations in turbulent and uncertain environments. Contributions: The finding of this study is expected to improve the management practices of digital technologies in public hospitals and help cultivate robustness, adaptability, and flexibility in public hospital operations, thereby enhancing resilience in the face of unexpected and uncertain events. This study is expected to enrich the development of healthcare resilience theories and the practice of healthcare management.