The Role of Information and Communication Technology in Improving the Financial Performance of Hospitals

Abstract

We are witnessing that the healthcare system of the Republic of Croatia is faced with numerous challenges, especially financial ones. Many activities are needed to improve the condition. In this paper, the emphasis is on the application of information and communication technology (ICT) as a tool for reducing costs and increasing income. The hypothesis of the work is that with the help of ICT we can directly, but also indirectly, by applying ICT through the so-called Dynamic Balanced Scorecard (DBSC) to influence business improvement. The DBSC method enables the evaluation of financial operations indirectly through employee education, optimization of business processes and increased patient satisfaction. In addition to the DBSC method, analysis of the collected literature, cost-benefit method and case studies are used to test the hypothesis. Regarding structure of the work, the introduction explains the context of the hospital's operations, defines the goals, hypothesis and research methods. This is followed by a description of the conducted research. The conclusion contains final considerations as well as suggestions for future research.