RAPIDLY SCALING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS

Abstract

The job of healthcare professionals in the healthcare sector has never been more critical than now due to the current unprecedented rate of long-term IT infrastructural changes and digital transformation. The 2019/2020 COVID-19 pandemic has been a major driver of these changes. Cultivating a culture of digital innovation and transformation is now at the forefront of the healthcare value-chain. There is an increased need to optimize the operations of the healthcare system, improve collaboration among Health Teams and deliver more agile and secure applications to support both clinical and administrative processes in healthcare institutions. These driving forces require a vision and strategy for digital transformation in the healthcare system, involving a closer look at modern DevSecOps best practices in the application development process. The fast-growing popularity of Cloud Computing has driven the consideration of Low-Code Development Platforms (LCDP), built securely in the cloud infrastructure, to support the transformation of the healthcare system. Low-Code Development Platforms are being considered by enterprises around the world to deliver rapid software development, continuous delivery, and continuous integration of their application systems. The William Osler Health System is recognized for its adoption of technological innovations for improved patient experience and satisfaction. Its innovations include the use of the Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare platforms; and Microsoft 365 and Power Platform services with embedded Low-Code technology to automate and optimize internal operational processes. The aim of this master’s thesis is to demystify the concept of cloud-based Low-Code Application Development approaches to healthcare software development by using a case study of a healthcare application within the systems being built to support operational processes in the William Osler Health System. This study contrasts challenges of current internal tools and methods of operations, communication, and application development in the organization, with the potential benefits of using cloud-based Low-Code platforms to drive digital transformation.