Lessons From Eight Countries On Diffusing Innovation In Health Care

Abstract

Health care systems are under increasing pressure to cope with shifting demographics, the threat of chronic and noncommunicable disease, and rising health care costs. The uptake of innovations to meet these challenges and to advance medicine and health care delivery is not as rapid as the pace of change. Greater emphasis on the diffusion of innovation and greater understanding of the structural and organizational levers that can be used to facilitate systemwide improvement are essential. This article describes the results of a qualitative and quantitative study to assess the factors and behaviors that foster the adoption of health care innovation in eight countries: Australia, Brazil, England, India, Qatar, South Africa, Spain, and the United States. It describes the front-line cultural dynamics that must be fostered to achieve cost-effective and high-impact transformation of health care, and it argues that there is a necessity for greater focus on vital, yet currently underused, organizational action to support the adoption of innovation.

Disseminating technology in global surgery

“…Shelton offers 20 criteria to consider when disseminating interventions and technologies, including employing user‐centred design, scalability and sustainability; these should be reflected in future studies. Keown and co‐workers offer lessons on disseminating innovation in healthcare from eight countries, highlighting the need to foster an organizational culture of innovation and adoption in health systems. Moreover, Howitt et al .…”

“…Shelton 45 offers 20 criteria to consider when disseminating interventions and technologies, including employing user-centred design, scalability and sustainability; these should be reflected in future studies. Keown and co-workers 46 offer lessons on disseminating innovation in healthcare from eight countries, highlighting the need to foster an organizational culture of innovation and adoption in health systems. Moreover, Howitt et al 7 offer recommendations to different organizations such as Ministries of Health, industry, academic institutes and healthcare organizations, and such guidelines should aim to facilitate interorganizational collaboration.…”

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“…3,4 However, transforming patient care services require educated and qualified clinical pharmacists as well as trained educators to support their deployment and maintenance. 5 The educational system and governmental regulatory structures in place should match both the health care needs of the people in a particular country or area and the capabilities and training of the members of the health care team. 6 This need is especially prominent in the Arab world, which consists of 22 countries in Asia and Africa that share a common history, language, and culture.…”

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“…1 A commonly seen phenomenon is that when initially successful interventions are spread to new settings, they fail to achieve the same impact-or indeed any impact at all. 2 On occasion, there may be straightforward explanations for this, such as a failure by adopters to adhere to intervention protocols.…”