Innovation management in the health care sector change management for innovational strength

Purpose and goal

The project objective has been to boost knowledge related to innovation management within two characteristic healthcare organizations, a large university hospital and a smaller regional hospital. The project has gained insights into prerequisites and opportunities when innovation management is integrated with healthcare operations. Through a knowledge-based and structured approach and development of adapted action plans the project has gained experimental learnings on innovation management in healthcare organizations with examples on initiated innovation initiatives

Expected results and effects

The healthcare units involved have attended workshops to create awareness on current state and to design unit-specific actions plans focusing on innovation management. One unit has implemented methods and tools for innovation management and initiated an external innovation initiative. Innovation management has been integrated into the management training program for Region Skåne. The project has been recognized at regional and national levels, and an extended knowledge network for innovation management has evolved, including participation from RISE.

Planned approach and implementation

Initially the overall knowledge status was summarized. The healthcare units involved have attended workshops to create awareness on current state and to design unit-specific actions plans focusing on innovation management. The units did show large variation on maturity level with respect to organization culture and values, management and view on change and innovation. Their respective outcomes linked to the project thus show a rich variation. Learnings from the project have been disseminated on conferences, internal events and been integrated into internal training programs.