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The Impact of Health Information and Communication Technology on Clinical Quality, Productivity, and Workers

Author

Listed:
  • Ari Bronsoler

    (Department of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA)

  • John Van Reenen

    (Department of Economics, London School of Economics, London, United Kingdom)

  • Joseph Doyle

    (Initiative on the Digital Economy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA)

Abstract

The adoption of health information and communication technology (HICT) has surged over the past two decades. We survey the medical and economic literature on HICT adoption and its impact on clinical outcomes, productivity, and the health care workforce. We find that HICT improves clinical outcomes and lowers health care costs; however, (a) the effects are modest so far, (b) it takes time for these effects to materialize, and (c) there is much variation in the impact. More evidence on the causal effects of HICT on productivity is needed to improve our analytical understanding and to guide further adoption. There is little econometric work directly investigating the impact of HICT on labor market outcomes, but the existing literature suggests that there are no substantial negative effects on employment and earnings. Overall, although health care is in many ways exceptional, we are struck by the similarities of our conclusions to the wider findingson the relationship between productivity and information and communication technologies, which stress the importance of complementary factors (e.g., management practices and skills) in determining the impact of these new technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Ari Bronsoler & John Van Reenen & Joseph Doyle, 2022. "The Impact of Health Information and Communication Technology on Clinical Quality, Productivity, and Workers," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 14(1), pages 23-46, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:anr:reveco:v:14:y:2022:p:23-46
    DOI: 10.1146/annurev-economics-080921-101909
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    Cited by:

    1. Amalia R. Miller, 2023. "Privacy of Digital Health Information," NBER Chapters, in: The Economics of Privacy, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    health care; technology; productivity; jobs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • M15 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - IT Management
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology

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