ABSTRACT
Understanding how patients navigate and experience healthcare ecosystems can be challenging, even when real-world data are available. Patient journeys involve series of healthcare interactions and various actors; reflecting a growing trend in service research, the parallel concept of a “care journey” also requires consideration, in terms of the phases that constitute it and the implications of using available technologies in each phase. This article investigates digital patient journeys in particular, suggesting the potential for a novel concept of a “phygital” (physical + digital) care journey that encompasses patients but also other key actors, such as physicians, caregivers, and families. This conceptualization supports a deeper understanding of the care journey and identifies four connected phases (origination, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up), throughout which technologies affect the overall care journey.
