Assessing Value Created by IT in Moroccan Healthcare: Perspectives from Professionals ^†

Abstract

This exploratory study examines how 67 healthcare professionals across Morocco perceive the value generated by the use of IT in healthcare organizations through semi-structured interviews. The results reveal that most of these professionals perceive IT positively, emphasizing its contribution to quality, communication, and patient satisfaction. Specifically, 97% of them recognize its value, highlighting its benefits in terms of efficiency and cost management. However, challenges such as cost and complexity were identified, highlighting the need for customized IT solutions that meet local needs and constraints. This study provides insights for decision-makers and administrators aiming to enhance IT integration in the healthcare sector.

1. Introduction

The integration of information technology (IT) into healthcare systems has become essential in modern healthcare practices, providing opportunities to enhance quality, efficiency, and accessibility [1]. In recent years, Morocco has recognized the transformative role of IT within its healthcare sector, especially as the country seeks to overcome systemic inefficiencies and improve healthcare outcomes [2,3]. However, even though information technology can play an important role, the value created by this technology is perceived differently among healthcare professionals, who often face various infrastructural, economic, and training barriers [4].

Research on healthcare IT in Morocco has illustrated the benefits of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and telemedicine solutions, as well as the need for integrated data systems to reduce redundancy and improve patient care coordination [5]. Despite these advantages, many healthcare professionals remain wary of IT systems, perceiving them as costly and complex to implement, without clear immediate benefits [6]. Studies on hospitals’ performance in the Moroccan healthcare context emphasize the importance of aligning IT solutions with the specific needs of professionals to achieve sustained improvements in efficiency and patient care quality [7].

Given the critical role of healthcare professionals in implementing and assessing IT systems, this study aims to examine how these practitioners perceive the value created by IT in Moroccan healthcare organizations.

By exploring professionals’ insights, we seek to identify both the benefits and challenges of healthcare IT from a practical perspective, offering policymakers and healthcare administrators’ guidance on maximizing the value created by IT in Morocco’s healthcare system.

The rest of this paper is structured as follows: Section 2 gives an overview of the Moroccan landscape of healthcare and IT integration; Section 3 describes the materials and methods used in our approach; Section 4 describes and discusses the results of our research; and finally, Section 5 provides the conclusion and implications of the results.

2. Overview of Moroccan Healthcare and IT Integration

In recent years, information technology (IT) has become a valuable asset in healthcare, especially in developing nations like Morocco, where health infrastructure faces significant challenges [8]. Integrating IT solutions has been shown to improve patient data management, streamline healthcare delivery, and optimize limited resources [5]. E-health initiatives, particularly those using telemedicine and mobile health applications, have had a notable impact in improving healthcare access in rural and underserved areas. A previous study [9] details Morocco’s digital health approach during the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring the potential of e-health strategies to bridge disparities in healthcare access, although within the constraints of limited funding and technical resources [9].

Evaluating the impact of IT on healthcare requires an understanding of both its operational efficiency and professionals’ perceptions of the value generated by these technologies. In Morocco, opinions among healthcare professionals are mixed, with some expressing concerns about the initial cost and integration challenges associated with these systems [6]. Additionally, the authors of [3] emphasize that effective IT implementation must align with the specific goals of Morocco’s healthcare infrastructure to achieve sustained improvements.

IT has also shown promise in enhancing healthcare quality by reducing redundant processes and facilitating better patient care continuity, particularly in managing chronic diseases [10]. However, gaps remain in rural health infrastructure, and there is a need to improve IT training for health personnel to enable them to fully use these tools. Studies show that public–private partnerships (PPPs) could help address resource constraints, as the authors of [11] argue that PPPs can alleviate financial strain on public institutions, although such partnerships remain underdeveloped in Morocco.

Comparative studies highlight that Morocco’s approach to e-health reflects broader regional trends, as observed in [12], which compared healthcare IT initiatives across North Africa and the Middle East. Findings suggest that context-specific strategies are essential for success, as generic solutions often fail in regions with unique socio-economic challenges. Government policies, especially those targeting universal health coverage (UHC), play a crucial role in expanding healthcare access via IT solutions. The RAMED policy, for instance, demonstrates Morocco’s commitment to leveraging IT in healthcare to reach vulnerable populations, with research indicating that such integration could further support Morocco’s UHC goals [13].

3. Materials and Methods

In this exploratory qualitative study, we aimed to understand the value generated by the use of information technology within Moroccan healthcare organizations by engaging with a diverse group of health professionals across the country. We used a qualitative methodology based on semi-structured interviews, which allowed us to capture in-depth views and experiences directly from these professionals. Our sample included 67 participants, representing various roles within healthcare organizations (such as administrators, medico-social assistants, hospital managers, Health Establishment Network Service (SRES) managers, nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and receptionists/treasurers).

3.1. Sampling and Participant Selection

To ensure that the sample was representative of the Moroccan healthcare sector, we included professionals from various regions (covering the eastern, western, northern, southern, and central parts of the country). Cities represented in the study included Agadir, Tiznit, Rabat, Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Essaouira, Guelmim, Tangier, Fez, Chtouka Ait Baha, Es-Smara, Meknès, Sidi Ifni, Taroudant, El Kelaa des Sraghna, Inezgane, and Tata.

3.2. Data Collection Process

To conduct the interviews, we took several preparatory steps to ensure efficient and thorough data collection (

Table 1. Preparatory steps of data collection.

Steps	Details
Appointment Scheduling	Each interview was scheduled in advance to accommodate participants’ availability.
Duration	Interviews lasted between 45 min and an hour, providing sufficient time to explore the topics in detail.
Interview Mode	Depending on availability and preference, interviews were conducted face-to-face, via telephone, through WhatsApp, or in writing for those who were unable to participate in other formats.
Timeline	Data collection was carried between 1 June 2024 and 15 July 2024.

).

3.3. Data Processing and Analysis

The data collected during the interviews were systematically processed in four stages:

1.

Transcription: All interviews were transcribed verbatim to maintain data integrity and facilitate detailed analysis.

2.

Corpus Creation: Transcribed data was organized into a structured corpus, making it ready for analysis using the VOSviewer software v1.6.20.

3.

Textual Analysis: We performed a comprehensive textual analysis using VOSviewer, which allowed us to extract meaningful patterns and themes from the data. We selected VOSviewer software due to its advantages in organizing and analyzing qualitative data. VOSviewer supports the creation of bibliometric maps, assists in clustering and categorizing data, and enhances the analytical process by identifying connections and patterns within large textual corpora [14]. This software facilitated a structured and visual approach to our data analysis, helping us present the findings in a coherent and insightful manner.

4.

Results Categorization: Finally, we categorized the findings based on emergent themes, allowing for organized interpretation and presentation.

4. Results and Discussion

This study surveyed a diverse group of healthcare professionals across Morocco. An overview of the participants’ demographic and professional characteristics is presented in the

Table 2. Participant demographics and workplace distribution.

Aspect	Details	%
Gender Distribution	Men	66%
	Women	34%
Age Distribution	25–50 years	85%
	over 50 years	10%
	18–25 years	5%
Educational Levels	Bachelor’s +3	37%
	Bachelor’s +5	33%
	Bachelor’s +7	18%
	Beyond +7	10%
	Bachelor’s +2	2%
Professional Experience	Over 10 years	54%
	5–10 years	31%
	less than 5 years	15%
Employment Sector	Public	85%
	Private	15%
Occupations	Nurses	34%
	Physicians	13%
	Administrators	10%
	Pharmacists	1%
	Medico-social assistants	1%
Specialties	Polyvalent nurses	22%
	Anesthesia–reanimation specialists	9%
	General physicians	6%
	Midwives	6%
	Statistical technicians	1%
	Traumatologists	1%
Workplace Settings	Hospitals	43%
	Clinics	12%
	University Hospital Centers	9%
	Health Centers	7%
	Military Hospitals	1%
	Regional Health Directorates	1%

below.

Geographically, participants were distributed across Morocco, with the highest numbers being from Agadir (19%), Tiznit (15%), and Rabat and Ouarzazate (12% each). Tangier and Guelmim represented 4% each, while Tata and Inezgane each had 1% representation.

The following Figure 1 presents key indicators related to healthcare professionals’ interaction with technology, including usage duration, satisfaction levels, and perceived impact. These percentages are reported to illustrate perceptions of IT’s contribution, investment, and overall effectiveness in the Moroccan healthcare context.

Key benefits of technology identified by healthcare professionals included improved efficiency and accuracy (29%), general benefits (26%), and enhanced information and communication (13%). Additionally, 16% highlighted cost management advantages, while another 16% emphasized the necessity and obligation of technology use in healthcare organizations. These findings underscore a strong consensus among professionals about the significant and beneficial role of technology in their organizations (see Figure 2).

Healthcare professionals identified several motivations for investing in information technology. The primary motivation was operational requirements, cited by 27% of participants. Improved information management was the second most significant factor, mentioned by 20%, followed by the desire to enhance patient care (17%). Modernization and digitization motivated 15% of professionals, while financial and legal considerations were noted by 15%. Finally, regulatory compliance was a motivation for 7% of the respondents (see Figure 3).

The results of this exploratory study reveal healthcare professionals’ perceptions of the value generated by technology in healthcare, starting with their definition of value, which focuses on several key aspects:

(a)

Quality of Care: Providing high-quality care and improving patient wellbeing.

(b)

Accessibility and Communication: Enhancing communication and making healthcare more accessible.

(c)

Financial Efficiency: Effective management of costs and resources, along with strong performance.

(d)

Operational Effectiveness: Efficient operations, continuous service, and optimal use of resources.

(e)

Training and Engagement: Continuous training and engaging healthcare staff are important for improving service quality and fostering innovation.

(f)

Safety and Transparency: Ensuring patient safety and maintaining transparency.

Our methodological approach started with the creation of a word cloud (see Figure 4), which serves as a visual representation of terms’ frequencies within our textual data. This word cloud was developed from the transcriptions of interviews conducted with the 67 respondents, providing an initial insight into the key themes and terms that are present in the data.

This figure shows the different perceptions of healthcare professionals. The highlighted terms illustrate the different types of value that technology brings to healthcare organizations:

Quality of Care: Improves the overall quality of care and promotes patient wellbeing.

Communication: Enhances information sharing and communication between professionals and patients.

Effectiveness: Improving outcomes and achieving better results in healthcare delivery.

Efficiency: Optimizing resource use and streamlining operations to reduce waste and improve performance.

Satisfaction: Ensures patients receive timely, efficient, and high-quality care.

Access to Care: Promotes fairness and equity and saves time and effort in accessing healthcare services.

Cost: Reduces costs, making healthcare services more accessible.

Transparency/Governance: Improves transparency in healthcare services, diagnostics, and decision-making.

Improvement: Enhances processes, services, and overall quality.

To move beyond a simple word visualization, we deepen our analysis with network visualization and clustering analysis.

4.1. Clustering Analysis

Visualization and clustering analysis enable us to segment our textual data into distinct clusters based on word frequency and co-occurrence. In our study, this technique reveals how the concepts of value and technology emerged from the text and could be organized into coherent themes.

The exploratory results based on the use of VOSviewer are as follows (see also Figure 5):

• Green Cluster: Focuses on patient satisfaction and the organization of patient care.
• Yellow Cluster: Emphasizes care quality and service provision.
• Orange Cluster: Highlights efficiency and communication within healthcare.
• Red Cluster: Concentrates on clinical quality and patient outcomes.
• Purple Cluster: Deals with resource management, utilization, and governance.
• Blue Cluster: Stresses service availability and accessibility.
• Light Blue Cluster: Focuses on service quality and production.
• Brown Cluster: Centers on the effectiveness of care and the importance of training.
• Light Purple Cluster: Focuses on time management and the monitoring of patient care.

The findings of this study highlight the important role of IT usage in the Moroccan healthcare system, as perceived by healthcare professionals (from various regions and specialties). The findings strongly highlight that investment in IT brings value, such as improving patient care, communication, and operational performance. These results reflect a mature and evolving landscape of healthcare digitalization in Morocco. Overall, this study addresses a very relevant and timely topic that deals with the issue of the value generated by the use of IT, offering valuable and engaging results that contribute significantly to the growing literature on digital health in developing countries.

4.2. Discussion

The results of this study clearly indicate a strong consensus among Moroccan healthcare professionals regarding the value generated by IT (in improving operational efficiency, communication, and patient satisfaction).

These findings are consistent with broader trends in the literature. For example, [1] highlighted the contribution of IT to improving the quality of hospital services, which closely aligns with the 97% positive assessment reported in our study. Similarly, ref. [8] highlighted how digital tools in the Moroccan healthcare sector optimized limited resources and improved the delivery of patient care, particularly in underserved areas (a benefit that was also recognized by 16% of our participants, citing cost and efficiency as major advantages).

Compared to [5], which reported fragmented implementation efforts in Moroccan EHR systems due to isolated initiatives, our study highlights a more optimistic perception among frontline professionals, despite concerns about cost and complexity. This gap may reflect changes in attitudes over time (or differences between study groups). Furthermore, our findings are consistent with those of [10], who demonstrated the increasing role of IT in managing care continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, while these studies primarily focus on system-level outcomes, our research provides detailed, professional-level insights into perceived value and daily challenges.

The thematic clusters identified through VOSviewer (effectiveness, quality of care, accessibility, and training) validate the frameworks proposed in [8,15], which argue that information technology integration is more effective when contextualized within the healthcare infrastructure and aligned with workforce capabilities. Our study reinforces this hypothesis by highlighting professionals’ perceptions to identify training needs and technology usability issues.

However, ongoing challenges, (such as a lack of training, high costs, and a lack of locally appropriate solutions), reflect the barriers identified in studies such as [4,15]. These concerns highlight the systemic gaps that hinder the full realization of IT’s potential in the Moroccan healthcare system.

5. Conclusions

This study highlights the potential of information technologies (IT) to improve the quality, efficiency, and accessibility of healthcare in Morocco from the point of view of 67 healthcare professionals.

The clusters identified in this study (including patient satisfaction, quality of care, efficiency, communication, and resource management) illustrate the maturity of the integration of new technologies in the field of health in Morocco. Figure 6 summarizes the perception of healthcare professionals in Morocco on the value generated by their daily use of information technology within their affiliated organizations.

Despite these positive results, challenges such as cost, complexity, and the need for personalized solutions remain significant obstacles to IT adoption and integration.

Ultimately, this study provides valuable information for decision-makers, administrators, and health stakeholders. Overall, these results underline the essential role of IT in the advancement of Moroccan healthcare, while highlighting the need for targeted investments and capacity-building initiatives to address existing challenges and optimize IT integration.

Future research should focus on the impact of IT in the Moroccan healthcare context through longitudinal studies and comparative analyses with other developing countries (to identify best practices and assess the profitability of IT investments). Moreover, it is important to assess the influence of national health policies (such as RAMED) on the implementation of IT and to study the role of training and change management in overcoming resistance. Thus, these guidelines can contribute to a better understanding and strategic improvement of IT integration in health systems.