Change management in hospital digital transformation: A roadmap to support planning and implementation for humanisation and efficiency through technology
Juliana Basulo-Ribeiro, Francisco Rocha-Gonçalves, Alberto Freitas, Leonor Teixeira
Abstract
Digitalisation offers promising solutions for improving efficiency and accessibility in healthcare. However, it is crucial to balance digital advancements with humanisation. The aim of this study is to support digital transformation in healthcare by striking a balance between the digital and human components, by proposing a roadmap for digital transformation, prioritizing people and organisational culture.
Introduction
The concept of a VUCA world, characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity that emerged after the Cold War, has given way to the notion of a BANI world (introduced by the Covid-19 pandemic), which highlights the brittleness, anxiety, non-linearity and incomprehensibility of our times.
Methods
The aim of this article is to propose a roadmap to support the planning and implementation of hospital digital transformation, with a focus on the human dimension and organisational culture. Positioned as a change-management tool, it helps hospitals managing the transition towards digital transition through cultural adaptation and stakeholder engagement.
Results
This section is divided into two different subsections. The first subsection addresses RQ1 by presenting an initial roadmap developed based on insights from the theoretical research, practical observation in real organisational settings, and informal conversations with domain experts involved in digital transformation projects.
Discussion
The digital transformation takes place at various levels and therefore requires an integrated view of the organisation and its decision-making processes. It is imperative to ensure that planning and implementation consider all organisational levels, since this type of transformation can reshape roles, routines and coordination mechanisms.
Conclusion
The authors would like to thank all participants for their time and valuable contributions. We also thank the collaborating organisations for facilitating data collection and providing operational support during the study.
Citation: Basulo-Ribeiro J, Rocha-Gonçalves F, Freitas A, Teixeira L (2026) Change management in hospital digital transformation: A roadmap to support planning and implementation for humanisation and efficiency through technology. PLoS One 21(4): e0344555.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0344555
Editor: Alejandro F. Mac Cawley, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, CHILE
Received: September 9, 2025; Accepted: February 23, 2026; Published: April 9, 2026
Copyright: © 2026 Basulo-Ribeiro et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Data Availability: All relevant data are within the manuscript.
Funding: This study was supported by the PRR – Recovery and Resilience Plan and NextGenerationEU funds at Universidade de Aveiro in the form of a grant awarded to L.T. (Project No. 53; application C645112083-00000059), through the Agenda for Business Innovation ‘NEXUS: Pacto de Inovação – Transição Verde e Digital para Transportes, Logística e Mobilidade’. This study was also supported by the research unit IEETA, funded by national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, in the form of a grant awarded to L.T. (UIDB/00127/2020). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
