Identification sustainable value factors in the use of information technology in healthcare services to manage infectious viral diseases

In recent years, the world has been engulfed in a crisis caused by a contagious disease called the coronavirus. The impact of this crisis is so significant that some researchers have also paid special attention to the post-coronavirus world. Therefore, the aim of this research is to identify the factors of sustainable value in using information technology for managing acute viral diseases.

The research method is mixed. In the qualitative section, the thematic analysis method has been employed. The reliability assessment of this section is also conducted using the method of comparison by two coders, resulting in a coefficient of 83%. In this section, interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached, and 23 interviews were collected. In the quantitative section, structural equation modeling with a partial least squares approach using SmartPLS_3 software was employed to analyze the data, and a semi-structured questionnaire with a five-option Likert spectrum was distributed among 241 individuals. The research population includes healthcare professionals in medical sciences, faculty members in management and technology fields, as well as managers of knowledge-based companies active in medical technology in Tehran province. Simple random sampling using the Cochran formula is also employed in this section.

The results showed that in the area of pandemic management and control, organizational factors (with a coefficient of 0.41), control and supervision (with a coefficient of 0.28), and planning (with a coefficient of 0.43) were confirmed. In the sustainable value section, environmental factors (with a coefficient of 0.29), social factors (with a coefficient of 0.37), and economic factors (with a coefficient of 0.47) were confirmed.

Thus, the sustainable use of information technology can not only control pandemics but also prevent their consequences for future generations.