Embracing Digitalization to Foster Person-Centered Care: A Comprehensive Case Study of Capio

Abstract

There is an ongoing restructuring of the Swedish healthcare system towards primary care. Moreover, this level of care should be person-centered, and by 2025, Sweden should be the world leader in leveraging the opportunities of digitalization and eHealth. However, there is insufficient research on how digitalization is being utilized to foster person-centered primary care. Consequently, this study aims to fill that gap. The theoretical framework provided a comprehensive basis for interpreting how the digitalization initiatives in Swedish primary care have fostered person-centered care. Key terms were defined and the literature on digitalization in healthcare was presented. Moreover, three conceptual models were introduced, offering a robust foundation to understand and analyze the diffusion, acceptance, and sustainability of new healthcare technologies. Through an abductive approach, a qualitative single case study was conducted of Capio, an actor with a notable market share within Swedish primary care. Using purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews were conducted with its managers and senior managers actively involved in formulating or implementing digitalization initiatives. These initiatives were then compared with the theory of person-centered care to assess whether they have aided in fostering the approach. Moreover, the conceptual models provided insights into their diffusion across Capio’s decentralized organization. Managers and senior managers within Swedish primary care have, in various ways, leveraged digitalization to foster person-centered care. Most notably, the asynchronous digital communication platform Flow, with its all-digital healthcare center Capio Go, has enabled the organization to transition towards digi-physical healthcare. Flow’s Network feature is especially emphasized as it facilitates seamless patient transitions between and within Capio’s units of care. Moreover, Robotic Process Automations have been utilized to streamline administrative tasks, freeing up time for patient interactions, and synchronizing platforms, which enable new digital working methods. These new methods include proactively contacting patients regarding annual appointments and medical prescriptions. When a new digital initiative has been identified by the company, a pilot project is initiated. If deemed successful by the managers and senior managers, they leverage internal opinion leaders to facilitate the diffusion across the decentralized organization. This involves the opinion leaders emphasizing the ‘why’ behind the digital initiatives to enhance the autonomous healthcare centers’ perceived usefulness. Simplicity is also advocated to increase perceived ease of use. These perceptions affect the autonomous healthcare centers’ actual usage of the same digitalization. Additionally, varying levels of complexities have been involved in the implementation of the digitalization, which is likely to have affected its adoption, scaling, and sustained usage. The research shows how digitalization has been leveraged to foster person-centered care, while validating, reinforcing, and extending the theory in a healthcare context. This provides practical applicability and contributes to a broader theoretical understanding for practitioners and researchers, respectively. Future research could enhance the understanding through additional perspectives and by measuring the long-term effects of the implemented digitalization.