Omnichannel Strategy and Consumer Behavior in Distribution Channels: Trends in the Ophthalmology Sector

A maturity model for omnichannel adoption in health care institutions

Omnichannel adoption in healthcare service has recently become widely discussed as healthcare institutions struggle to keep up with changing patient expectations and technological advances. However, the need for a standard model for addressing this issue has left many healthcare institutions working to implement effective strategies. This study aims to establish a comprehensive model to evaluate adopting an omnichannel strategy in healthcare. To this purpose, two main objectives were pursued: i) identify and describe the different stages of maturity in adopting omnichannel strategy by healthcare institutions; ii) address the gaps identified in the literature and propose a roadmap to be followed to attain greater maturity levels. This roadmap is presented to healthcare institutions based on a gap analysis done regarding the adoption of an omnichannel strategy by healthcare institutions. Thus, a survey was conducted through online questionnaires in which ten Portuguese public hospitals participated. The survey data were collected, transformed, and analyzed using statistical methods to evaluate and make the proof-of-concept of the proposed model to identify the level of maturity regarding omnichannel strategy adoption. The results showed that Portuguese institutions participating in this survey are between the early and mid-stage of omnichannel adoption. Among the participants, it was possible to identify the healthcare institution's current level and the dimensions they lagged off and should improve to reach the next level regarding adopting the omnichannel strategy. Lastly, the findings and insights obtained from the data analysis provided valuable indications regarding omnichannel strategy in Portuguese healthcare institutions that participated in this study. Guidelines and directions were provided for future research on omnichannel maturity in healthcare.

An Overview of Omnichannel Interaction in Health Care Services

The adoption of omnichannel interaction services in health care can bring significant benefits to both health care institutions and their patients. The ongoing health pandemic caused by coronavirus disease has further emphasized the need for health care providers to implement an omnichannel strategy to provide seamless personalized experiences to their patients through multiple access channels. This study aimed to examine the current state of research on omnichannel interaction services in health care with a focus on the benefits, challenges, and issues that health care institutions may encounter when adopting this strategy. A systematic literature review was conducted to synthesize the current state of research and provide a comprehensive overview of the field. The results of the review were used to perform a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis of omnichannel services in health care and identify 5 key criteria that health care institutions should consider when implementing an omnichannel strategy. This study contributes to the field by offering an updated and comprehensive understanding of omnichannel interaction services in health care and provides valuable insights for health care providers considering this strategy. The ultimate goal of an omnichannel strategy in health care is to improve patient engagement, increase access to care, and reduce costs while improving communication and collaboration among health care providers. The successful implementation of this strategy requires a well-defined plan, robust technology, infrastructure, data analytics, capabilities, trained professionals, and a basic understanding of the communication channels among patients. The adoption of an omnichannel strategy in health care can lead to new business growth and increased patient engagement, but health care institutions must be properly aligned and patients must be prepared for its implementation.

Managing Sustainable Urban Public Transport Systems: An AHP Multicriteria Decision Model

The current combination of sustainable social awareness and the improved decision support systems, including multiple criteria decision models for sustainable development, creates the need for more efficient and accurate public policy decisions based on available technology. The continuous growth of urban public road transport in large cities, and therefore the worsening of air quality, along with recent economic crisis derived from the COVID-19 pandemic, is forcing public administrations to analyze the viability of current models, taking into consideration sustainable alternative energies. This study proposes a novel and consistent analytic hierarchy process (AHP) multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) model that combines both economic and environmental criteria, to evaluate public road transportation vehicles according to their alternative engine technologies and combustion characteristics. The proposed model has been applied to evaluate Madrid’s urban public road transport, based on 2020 data published by the Madrid City Council, compiled by authors, and assessed by a panel of 20 experts to identify criteria and factors included in the AHP-MCDM model. The findings illustrate the economic and environmental impact of alternative vehicles, show that the most sustainable alternative is the plug-in electric vehicle in economic and environmental terms, and assist policymakers and firms in future strategic decisions regarding sustainable urban transport policies.