Telemedicine and Hospital Growth Strategy: A Resource-Based View of Market Expansion and Service Diversification

Abstract

Technology is permeating every industry and it is even more so in the case of healthcare, where devices, robots, Artificial Intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, 3D imaging, and many more are playing lifesaving roles. Out of so many advanced technologies, Telemedicine has emerged as a strategic tool through which hospitals are expanding beyond their facility-based care. Despite the growth in research on the adoption of telemedicine, current studies predominantly take a quantitative and clinical perspective that provides limited insight into how hospital administrators strategically exploit telemedicine for organizational success. In a theoretical context, this research connects telemedicine to the strategic growth of hospitals using a growth capability framework. From a methodological research point of view, this research work is a perfect example of the effectiveness of a combination of literature study and qualitative study in validating eligibility for hospital administration research. The literature review points out the emerging strategic roles of telemedicine and the themes and gaps of the theoretical framework in the management of the hospital. This study contributes to the field of management of the hospital as telemedicine picturizes the potentiality of the growth of the management of the hospital. In a theoretical context, this research connects telemedicine to the strategic growth of hospitals using a growth capability framework. From a methodological research point of view, this research work is a perfect example of the effectiveness of a combination of literature study and qualitative study in validating eligibility for hospital administration research. From a management context, this research work supplies hospital administrators with important information about the application of telemedicine for expanding markets and diversifying services.

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