The Effect of Health Information Systems Implementation on Hospital Costs: A Systematic Review

Background: Digital transformation of hospitals implies significant investments in health information systems. It is important, therefore, to identify the value information systems bring on health services to justify those investments. This study conducts a systematic review to examine the evidence on how the implementation of health information systems influences cost reduction in hospital services. Methods: Systematic review based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline, aiming at identifying articles in PUBMED, Embase and LILACS, which presented evidence on the effects of implementing digital technologies in hospital services in relation to costs and efficiency. Results: 62 studies were retrieved, frow which 45 met the inclusion criteria. Most of the included articles were related to digital technologies for the treatment of patients with heart failure (13.4%), to support teleconsultation services (42.3%), telemonitoring services (44,4%). The results showed that the implementation of health information systems often generates cost savings (64.3%) and that they sometimes trigger gains for management and health professionals (35.7%). Most of the studies came out after 2020. Conclusions: As digital health is being expanded worldwide, especially after the COVID- 19 pandemic, health information systems are being implemented in hospital units, and the studies included in this systematic review showed that the implementation of these technologies is often presented as cost-effective that generates positive effects for both professionals and patients. As the evidence is still limited, more research is needed, using rigorous methods applied to broader areas of healthcare.