Improving healthcare operations with IT deployment: A critical assessment of literature and a framework for future research

In this paper, we critically assess the contribution of the operations management literature in creating pragmatic knowledge regarding how IT deployment can improve healthcare performance. A systematic literature review is conducted, and the following issues limiting knowledge generation have been identified: 1) IT deployment and healthcare performance are often conceptualised as black boxes; 2) existing theories are used inadequately, and emerging theories are lacking, which restricts the identification of the underlying mechanisms in the IT-performance relation; and 3) contextual factors are often overlooked. We develop a framework, arguing that to overcome these limitations, future studies require the following: 1) conceptualise IT in terms of its functionalities; 2) explain the reason(s) for selecting the performance attribute(s); 3) identify the mechanisms of the relationship of IT-performance by investigating and theorising the consequences of IT deployment on service operations; and 4) consider the contextual factors while explaining the IT-performance relation.