Determinants of Innovation in Healthcare Organizations

Margot et al (2004) provided a comprehensive description of innovation determinants as follows:

Determinants related to the socio-political context

1. The patient’s willingness to cooperate with the innovation

2. Level of patient’s awareness about the health benefits of innovation in health care

3. Patient’s doubt concerning the health professional’s expertise and competence with respect to the innovation

4. Financial burden of the innovation imposed on the patient (e.g. no insurance coverage)

5. Physical or emotional discomfort felt by patients as a result of the innovation

6. How the innovation fits into existing rules, regulations, and legislation

Determinants related to the organization

7. Decision-making process and procedures in the organization: top-down or bottom-up/participatory

8. Hierarchical structure: extent to which decision-making process is formalized through hierarchical procedures

9. Formal reinforcement by management to integrate innovation into organizational policies

10. Organizational size (number of employees): large, medium size, small

11. Functional structure (task oriented) versus product structure (output oriented)

12. Relationship with other departments or organizations: introvert or outreaching

13. Nature of the collaboration between departments involved in the innovation

14. Staff turnover: employee productivity can be high, average, or low

15. Degree of staff capacity in the organization or department that implements the innovation

16. Available expertise, in relation to the innovation in the organization or department

17. Logistical procedures related to the innovation, e.g. logistical problems in scheduling patients

18. Number of potential users to be reached: many, few

Determinants related to the adopting person/user/health professional

19. Support from/of colleagues in implementing the innovation

20. Support from/of other health professionals in implementing the innovation

21. Support from/of their supervisors in the department/organization with respect to the implementation of the innovation

22. Support from/of higher management in the organization with respect to the implementation of the innovation

23. Extent to which colleagues implement the innovation (modelling)

24. Extent to which the health professional has the skills needed to implement the innovation

25. Extent to which the health professional has the knowledge needed to implement the innovation

26. Self-efficacy: confidence to perform the behaviour needed to implement the innovation

27. Extent to which ownership by the health professionals is perceived

28. Extent to which the innovation fits in the perceived task orientation of the health professional

29. Extent to which the health professional expects that the patient will cooperate in the innovation

30. Extent to which the health professional expects that the patient will be satisfied with the innovation

31. Extent to which the health professional suffers from work-related stress

32. Extent to which goals of health professionals with respect to the innovation are contradictory

33. Extent to which the health professional has ethical problems with the innovation

Determinants related to the innovation

34. Extent to which the procedures/guidelines of the innovation are clear

35. Compatibility: degree to which the innovation is perceived as consistent with existing work procedures

36. Trialability: extent to which the innovation can be subjected to trial

37. Relative advantage: extent to which the innovation is perceived as advantageous

38. Observability: degree to which the results of the innovations are observable to the health professional

39. Extent to which the innovation is appealing to use

40. Relevance of the innovation for the patient: extent to which the innovation has added value

41. Extent to which the innovation carries risks to the patient compared with the existing situation

42. Frequency of use of the innovation: high, low

Determinants related to facilities needed to implement the innovation

43. Financial resources made available for implementing the innovation

44. Reimbursement for health professionals/organizations to facilitate extra efforts in applying the innovation

45. Other resources made available for implementing the innovation (e.g. equipment, manuals)

Results from the study by Margot et al (2004) show there was no consensus on patients (i.e. research respondents) resisting innovation in healthcare because they were not aware of the benefits. Thus, ignorance on the part of health users is not a major determinant of innovation. Instead, 70% said they ignored PHC facilities due to actual and perceived low performance of health workers whereas 71% admitted they would try new machines, process or ideas—if many people are using the innovation (Dickinson., 2014).

Nigeria ranks low in all parameters of judgement when compared to other African countries. This underscores the fact that there is urgent need for change management in the Nigerian health sector (De Weger et al., 2018), starting with the introduction of innovative health technologies and ideas capable of increasing productivity and enhancing the overall efficiency of management processes in Nigeria’s deteriorating health system (Day et al., 2016). The importance of innovative strategies and efficient healthcare delivery processes cannot be overemphasized. For example, Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionised how healthcare information is collated, compiled/stored and distributed. Optimal use of the Internet, however, determines the difference the advancement levels of healthcare service delivery among countries. Interestingly, many developing countries like the United States of America are investing more in technological development, which is considered a pivot for economic growth (Goldman et al., 2016). A 2014 McKinsey study, for instance, shows that the productivity in the U.S. healthcare industry dropped by 0.8% every year between 1990 to 2007 whereas the computer and semiconductor industry soared by 7.6% within the period under review. Therefore, as shortage of key health providers looms after COVID-19 in many countries, including Nigeria, there is no doubt that innovative health is the solution.