The Impact of Digital Transformation on Improving Operational Efficiency: An Applied Study on King Saud Medical City

Abstract

This study aimed to measure the impact of digital transformation—across its dimensions of infrastructure, electronic health records (EHRs), process automation, and system integration—on enhancing operational efficiency in terms of time, cost, and human resources at King Saud Medical City in Riyadh. To achieve these objectives, the research adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, utilizing an electronic questionnaire distributed to a random sample of 237 medical and administrative staff out of a total study population of 900 during the year 1447 AH. The results revealed a high level of digital transformation implementation, yielding an overall mean score of 4.28. This advancement was primarily driven by the effectiveness of electronic records in tracking treatment plans, automating medication dispensing, and ensuring rapid, highly reliable access to patient histories. Consequently, this positively influenced operational efficiency, which scored a high mean of 4.30 due to the role of digital systems in saving time, accelerating critical medical and administrative decision-making, and minimizing costly billing errors. Furthermore, statistical analysis confirmed a very strong, statistically significant positive correlation, where digital transformation accounted for 89.2% of the variance in operational efficiency, with system integration and electronic health records exercising the greatest impact on this improvement. Accordingly, the study recommends continuously upgrading network servers, performing routine system maintenance, equipping all departments with advanced hardware, and strengthening centralized integration among laboratories, radiology, and outpatient clinics to eliminate redundant testing and reduce operational waste.