Hospital Business Strategy: A Systematic Literature Review
Keywords:
Business Strategy, Hospital, SLR, Digital Transformation, Operational Efficiency, Patient-Centered CareAbstract
The global hospital industry is undergoing significant transformation due to increased competition, accelerated digitalization, and rising patient expectations, who are increasingly viewed as active consumers of healthcare services. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, telemedicine, and integrated electronic medical record systems have transformed the way healthcare organizations create value, deliver services, and maintain operational performance. In this evolving environment, hospitals are required to adopt effective business strategies to balance clinical excellence and financial sustainability. Despite the growing recognition of the importance of strategic management in the healthcare sector, existing research remains fragmented and lacks a comprehensive synthesis of hospital business strategy. This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review of academic research on hospital business strategy to identify key research trends, classify strategic approaches, and determine key factors influencing the success of strategy implementation in healthcare organizations. This study uses a systematic literature review method with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses approach. The articles analyzed are peer-reviewed publications from 2018–2025 obtained from major international databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The research results show that hospital business strategies can be classified into five main approaches: operational efficiency strategies, service differentiation strategies, digital transformation strategies, patient-centered strategies, and strategic collaboration strategies. Furthermore, the successful implementation of these strategies is strongly influenced by leadership capabilities, digital technology adoption, organizational culture, patient satisfaction, and effective financial management. This research contributes to academic research by structuredly mapping the literature on hospital business strategy and identifying future research directions related to the integration of artificial intelligence, digital health strategy development, and sustainability in healthcare management. Practically, the findings provide strategic insights for hospital managers in enhancing long-term organizational competitiveness and resilience.
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