Assessment of Smartness Status in Public Hospitals and Its Relationship with Characteristics and Performance Indicators

The need for smartification is increasingly recognized in public hospitals, making it crucial to identify the current status, gaps, and factors influencing hospital smartness.

This study aimed to assess the smartness status of public hospitals and investigate its correlation with hospital characteristics and performance indicators.

This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in seven public hospitals in Alborz Province, Iran, during 2023 - 2024. We assessed the characteristics and performance indicators of the hospitals using a researcher-developed questionnaire and evaluated their smartness status with the standardized "Smart Hospital Evaluation" checklist. Data analysis was performed using SPSS24 software, utilizing independent t -tests, Pearson's correlation, Spearman's correlation, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests.

The smartness status of the hospitals was found to be moderate, with 71% of hospitals falling into this category. A significant correlation was observed between the smartness of hospital units, the type of hospital (teaching or non-teaching), and the hospital's specialization (specialized or general) (P = 0.013). Significant and direct correlations were also found between information technology and hospital units (P = 0.043), management systems and clinical processes (P = 0.008), and overall smartness and clinical processes (P = 0.049).

Public hospitals need improvements in smartness indicators. Factors such as whether the hospital is teaching or non-teaching and whether it is specialized or general should be taken into account. Moreover, hospital smartification efforts should adopt a comprehensive approach, considering all dimensions of smartness.