Evaluating the Sustainable Competitive Advantage of Saudi e-Healthcare System: An Empirical Study

Abstract

Study Purpose This study seeks to investigate the various dimensions contributing to the sustainable competitive advantage of the Saudi eHealthcare system. Methods A cross-sectional survey design was adopted in this study. Eleven factors were identified that may affect the sustainable competitive advantage, which were embedded in to the survey questionnaire. Participants included diverse healthcare workers (physicians, specialist physicians, nurses, managers) from Saudi public hospitals. A total of 382 healthcare workers participated in the study. Results User experience and accessibility emerged as the most significant factor with a high mean of 4.04 ± 0.69, followed by innovation and continuous improvement (mean 3.8 ± 0.89) and AI adoption (mean 3.91 ± 0.82). Notably, a statistically significant difference is observed in the domain of Data Security and Privacy ( p = 0.0448 ), with specialist physicians exhibiting a lower mean score (2.44 ± 0.86) compared to other roles. Conclusion The need to strengthen overall competitiveness is emphasized by identified areas for improvement, including data security, interoperability, and integration, which highlight the necessity for specific initiatives.