Telemedicine, hospital viability, and community embeddedness: a case study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Medical Technology Adoption
• Community Health

Background:

• Hospitals face challenges in maintaining competitiveness through traditional methods like service expansion or technology adoption.
• The integration of medical technology, such as telemedicine, presents a potential avenue for hospitals to enhance viability.
• Understanding external factors influencing technology adoption is critical for healthcare institutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the role of telemedicine adoption in hospital viability.
• To analyze the impact of the hospital-community relationship on the success of healthcare innovations.
• To identify key strategies for improving hospital competitiveness in the modern healthcare landscape.

Main Methods:

• A 17-year case study analysis of local hospital-related news reports.
• Qualitative analysis of community-hospital interactions and innovation outcomes.
• Longitudinal assessment of hospital viability metrics in relation to technological adoption.

Main Results:

• Telemedicine adoption was explored as a strategy for hospital viability.
• The hospital-community relationship significantly influenced the success of telemedicine implementation.
• A pattern of trust and support between the hospital and local community was identified as a key factor.

Conclusions:

• A hospital's relationship with its local community is a critical determinant of success for innovations like telemedicine.
• Building trust and support within the community should be a strategic priority for enhancing hospital viability.
• Community engagement is essential for the sustainable adoption of medical technology in healthcare settings.