Explaining and Advancing Information Technology Business Value (ITBV) in Healthcare from a Socio-Technical Systems Perspective

Authors

  • Won Song Capitol Technology University, USA
  • Darrell Norman Burrell Marymount University, USA; Georgetown University Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics, USA
  • Gregory Stoller Boston University, USA
  • Sharon L. Burton Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, USA
  • Calvin Nobles University of Maryland Global Campus, USA
  • Laura A. Jones Wake Forest University, USA

Abstract

Healthcare organizations increasingly invest in artificial intelligence (AI) and telehealth technologies to improve quality, efficiency, and performance. Yet the realization of information technology business value (ITBV) remains inconsistent. This commentary argues that digital value in healthcare does not stem from technological sophistication alone but from deliberate integration within socio-technical systems that cultivate calibrated trust in automation. Drawing on established ITBV and socio-technical theory, the paper reframes AI and telehealth as capability-building infrastructures whose effectiveness depends on participatory governance, clinician engagement, and stakeholder trust. Illustrative cases, including AI-enabled sepsis detection, remote patient monitoring, and AI-assisted radiology, demonstrate that adoption and impact hinge on workflow alignment, interpretability, transparency, and professional identity considerations. Technological resistance is repositioned as a rational and informative response to misalignment rather than obstruction. The inquiry advances a people-centered framework emphasizing engagement, adaptive leadership, and structured oversight as essential conditions for sustainable digital transformation in complex healthcare ecosystems.

Published

2026-04-24

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2026): RAIS Journal for Social

Section

Articles
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