Towards Hands-free Healthcare: A Study About Value Co-creation Through Eye-tracking Application

Abstract: Introduction: The introduction presents concepts around hands-free interactions. Furthermore, topics of digitalization, value co-creation, and how technology suppliers and end-users co-create value through the application of eye-tracking is described. Problem discussion: Healthcare is a complex system and is becoming more accustomed to the value co-creation concept with all types of stakeholders. New technologies are needed in healthcare to ensure positive patient outcomes and sterility. These technologies appear in hands-free devices such as eye-tracking technology. Limited research is found on interactions between healthcare practitioners and/or researchers with technology providers with key actors as suppliers and practitioners. Looking further at value co-creation, to achieve hands-free healthcare, it is necessary to fully utilize nascent digital technologies while incorporating them into digitalized processes. Hence, additional study is needed to investigate how key actors co-create value and promote the full use of advanced technologies. Purpose and Research Question: The purpose of this study is to understand how value is co-created by the application of hands-free devices in healthcare settings. To do that, we explore the activities performed by technology suppliers and technology end-users (healthcare practitioners and researchers) that enable value co-creation through the application of eye-tracking devices in hands-free healthcare. This study seeks to answer the research question: How do technology suppliers and end-users co-create value through the application of eye-tracking in hands-free healthcare? Theoretical Framework: Theoretical Framework was established based on scientific literature. Furthermore, it is split between concepts of value-in-use, value co-production, and two stages of digitalization, where the first stage is digitalization of products and services, the second stage is digitalization of activities and decisions. Methodology: In this thesis, qualitative descriptive research with a deductive approach is followed. Empirical data was collected through three exploratory and ten semi-structured interviews, where six semi-structured interviews were conducted with suppliers (primary data) who are employed in an eye-tracking supplying company, and four end-users (supportive data), which are healthcare practitioners and/or researchers. Findings & Analysis: Here, findings gathered from primary (technology suppliers), supportive (end-users), and secondary sources (documents) were analyzed and compared to the literature and theoretical framework. Conclusion: Concluding, 20 activities were found for the value co-production part of the research and 23 activities for the value-in-use part. Some of the found activities could not be supported by scientific literature or framework and are explained as additional findings.