Managing an organization’s business processes based on a digital maturity assessment toolkit: a cluster-oriented approach

The mere presence of information systems does not ensure higher manageability and productivity in organizations. Digital technologies become real tools for business process management only when they correspond to the current maturity level of the institution. The article presents a methodology for the cluster-based selection of innovative business process management tools in health care organizations based on the assessment of their digital maturity. The empirical basis consists of survey data from 390 medical workers. Using statistical analysis, a general factor of digital maturity was identified, which explains the evaluation of nine key business processes. Based on this general factor, a typology of six clusters was developed and grouped into three maturity zones: low, medium, and high. The low zone is characterized by a high share of routine operations, weak regulation, and the predominance of paper-based and manual practices. The medium zone reflects a transitional state. In this state, individual digital services are already used, but their connection with end-to-end pathways and management control remains insufficient. The high zone is associated with a more stable digital architecture, but may require further integration of data, standardization, and scaling of successful practices. The structure of digital transformation barriers changes qualitatively from resource constraints in low clusters to systemic integration problems in high clusters. On this basis, an integrated index of the digital maturity of a health care organization, a diagnostic scheme, and a rapid self-identification tool were developed. These elements make it possible to link the results of statistical typology with primary managerial diagnostics and to determine which tools should be applied in an organization based on its maturity level. Using the example of two health care organizations, the logic of targeted selection is demonstrated and the economic potential of reducing process losses is assessed. The calculations show that reducing routine workload can generate savings in working time, reduce errors, accelerate the patient pathway, decrease transaction losses, and increase the transparency of management control. The results indicate the need to align the choice of digital solutions with the maturity level of processes, the type of dominant barriers, and the organization’s readiness for the next stage of digitalization. This reduces the risk of implementing tools that exceed the organization’s actual digital capacity. The proposed methodology can be used for the typification of health care organizations and for targeted support of digitalization when implementing innovative business process management tools.