The (Sub-Optimal) Use of Technological Innovation by Public Healthcare Organization Management: A Literature Review
Vincenzo Sforza, Riccardo Cimini

Abstract
In the light of the European Commission’s (2017) request to introduce innovative solutions, to rethink the organization of national health systems, and to ensure their sustainability, resilience, and effectiveness, this work provides a systematic analysis of the literature on technological innovation for the management of public healthcare organizations. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, the research examines 100 articles published in scientific journals between 1989 and 2019. The paper provides evidence of increased interest among academics and editors in this multidisciplinary topic. It offers insights for future research, mainly because of the critical organizational and economic issues linked to the diffusion of technological innovations and the financial constraints under which public healthcare systems currently operate (e.g., short-term-focused budgets). Findings identify factors that can eliminate constraints that obstruct the diffusion of innovation and respond to the European Commission’s invitation to enable the digital transformation of health and care in the Digital Single Market, “empowering citizens and building a healthier society” (EU, 2018). A minimal number of publications has focused on the effect of innovation on management. There is room to improve its role, considering that most such publications emphasize technical, engineering/medical, cultural, and organizational conditions.

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