IMPACT OF DIGITALIZATION ON HEALTHCARE SERVICE DELIVERY (A STUDY OF UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN TEACHING HOSPITAL, UITH)
Abstract
The healthcare sector in Nigeria continues to be confronted by systematic challenges that impede the delivery of efficient, accessible, and patient centered care, necessitating a comprehensive examination of the measurable impact of digitalization on healthcare performance, particularly within tertiary institutions. This study investigates the impact of digitalization on healthcare service delivery at the university of Ilorin teaching hospital (UITH). Specifically, the study examines: (i) the impact of workflow automation on patient waiting time; (ii) the influence of e-prescribing on patient satisfaction; and (iii) the mediating tools on the relationship between eHealth solutions adoption and quality of patient care. A descriptive research design with a population of 2,614 patients in UITH was used with a sample size of 348 gotten through Taro Yamane formula. A sample of 287 valid responses was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), with the aid of SmartPLS 3 and Jamovi. The findings revealed that workflow automation significantly reduced patient waiting time (R² = 75.4%), e-prescribing had a significant positive effect on patient satisfaction (R² =76.0%), and digital medical tools significantly mediated the impact of eHealth solutions on patient care quality (R² = 75.8%). The study concludes that digitalization exerts a positive and significant influence on healthcare service delivery in UITH. It therefore recommends, among others, that hospital administrators invest in robust digital infrastructure, prioritize staff training for optimal system usage, and strengthen patient-centered digital strategies such as e-prescriptions, mobile health applications, automated scheduling systems to maximize service efficiency and patient outcomes.
Full-Text Access Notice
In accordance with the NERD Policy on promoting peer-reviewed publication, public access to the full text of a project, thesis or dissertation is restricted for three years, allowing the author and supervisors sufficient time to pursue peer-reviewed publication.
During this period, researchers with legitimate academic or research purposes may request authorisation directly from the author to enable NERD to release the indexed full texts of the work using the form below.