Title: Bridging modular service architecture and performance of the service delivery process: an example from the healthcare setting

Authors: Anu Bask; Mervi Vähätalo; Anssi Panula

Addresses: Turku School of Economics, University of Turku, Rehtorinpellonkatu 3, 20014 Turun Yliopisto, Turku, Finland ' Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, Satakunnankatu 23, Pori, Finland ' School of Business, Aalto University, P.O. Box 21210, 00076 Aalto, Finland

Abstract: Healthcare organisations face challenges to improve their performance while providing customer-oriented services. It has been suggested that modular service architecture has the potential to address these challenges, but empirical research is still scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study is to discover how modular service architecture can support service delivery performance in the healthcare setting. The results demonstrate how modular service architecture allowed the case organisation to customise the service process according to each patient's needs, thus shortening the recovery time and increasing patient satisfaction. Standard modules and components as well as well-defined interfaces were essential factors in supporting the organisation's vision and successful service delivery performance. This study is one of the first attempts to bridge a gap in the research on the intersection between modular service architecture and performance of the service delivery process.

Keywords: service management; healthcare; architecture; modularity; interfaces; performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2025.149214

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2025 Vol.52 No.2, pp.226 - 250

Accepted: 02 Jul 2023
Published online: 20 Oct 2025 *

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