Revealing the role of intellectual capital in digitalized health networks. A meso‑level analysis for building and monitoring a KPI dashboard

Abstract Purpose We aim to provide a conceptual analysis about the role of intellectual capital in driving construction of a reliable measurement system in order to increase the effectiveness of healthcare policies. Specifically, we explore the building of a dashboard to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) in the digitalized health networks. The study seeks to improve healthcare policies by developing an integrated meso‑level framework based on the centrality of intellectual capital components (structural, relational, human). Design/methodology/approach To tackle the research question, we follow a conceptual approach supported by direct observation of a cancer network in the Southern Italy. First, we performed an integrative literature review in order to reveal the role of intellectual capital in driving digital transition for healthcare networks. Second, we started from theoretical speculations in order to build up a reliable dashboard formed by a set of KPIs, aimed at monitoring the crucial operation of a digitalized cancer network. Findings The conceptual model outlines an inductive process model by which the managers of the healthcare network can develop a comprehensive multi criteria group decision making (MCGDM) dashboard of KPIs, automatically extracting most of the information about the network from the digital platform. We have chosen three main dimensions that drive the digital transition: technological, referring to human capital, organizational, referring to structural capital, and environmental, referring to relational capital. Originality/value The originality of the model lies in its specific focus on confronting the complexity and heterogeneity that irremediably affects the decision-making process. An intellectual capital-driven dashboard allows cancer network policy makers and practitioners to deal with digitalization in a very broad and successful way. This paper seeks to gain an overall understanding by merging different fields of research and providing a reliable baseline to set up further quantitative academic research, centered on the dashboard. Due to its standardized approach, the dashboard may improve comparability between different healthcare networks and open the way for comparative studies between different healthcare structures; it might represent an opportunity for practitioners and academics.