Is Service Convenience in Healthcare Related to Sustained Competitive Advantage?

Abstract

Telehealth services have become a vital technological tool that has proven to be especially important in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth services allow healthcare providers to meet the convenience, safety, and quality expectations of their patients. By adopting a unique design and strategic application of this technology, healthcare providers could improve their competitive advantage. This conceptual paper presents a framework illustrating how providers can enhance their competitive advantage by providing telehealth services to meet the convenience needs and quality expectations of their patients. The pathway presented here builds on the combination of a service convenience framework and the resource-based view (RBV). It is anticipated that further research to test the propositions highlighted in this paper will contribute to the body of knowledge. Furthermore, it will allow healthcare providers and policy makers to assess the value associated with the provision and utilization of telehealth services in accordance with the internal and external characteristics of the healthcare organization.