Organizational Barriers to the Adoption of New Digital Technologies in Public Healthcare A Case of Citizen-initiated Remote Monitoring at Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Abstract

Swedish healthcare is facing a huge increase in demand for care due to demographic changes in the nation. With the number of healthcare workers not increasing at the same pace, there is an imminent issue that will keep getting worse over time. In order to help solve this problem, adoption of digital technologies and more efficient ways of working are needed. However, in public healthcare, different barriers exist which hinder the adoption of digital technologies in different ways. Significant additional value could be attained if these barriers are identified and overcome. The aim of this study is to identify organizational barriers to adoption of digital technologies in Public Healthcare in Sweden, and provide recommendations to help overcome them. The research approach used in this study is a qualitative study of a single case organization, Sahlgrenska University Hospital. Academic literature was identified and analyzed, and empirical data was collected through semi- structured interviews with employees at the case organization, as well as individuals from Region Västra Götaland. The empirical data was then contrasted and analyzed in relation to the academic literature. The findings show several organizational barriers that affect the organization. These barriers cover a wide range of issues; the absence of a clear career path for innovation, limitations in value realization regarding the Innovation Platform, short-term savings having precedence over long-term innovation effects, insufficient information diffusion and collaboration, the dilemma of research evidence, complex and unclear decision paths, and varying visions and priorities of managers. To be able to overcome the barriers and foster a more innovative culture, improving the adoption of digital technologies, some recommendations have been proposed. First, establishing a defined career path within the organization for working with innovation could improve the innovation culture, by creating a more structured way of working with innovation. Further, creating an environment for facilitating more collaboration between healthcare workers and developers of new technologies and solutions is of importance. This would ensure solutions meet the users’ needs and are more user-friendly, hence improving adoption and easing implementation. Creating an innovation culture throughout the organization that mirrors the high importance the top management has on innovation is of huge importance, in order to align the organization. Establishing an innovation forum including information sharing, collaboration, joint problem-solving, and examples of successful innovation projects could help facilitate this. Also, aligning all levels of management on the importance of innovation in the organization is also crucial, since department managers have a high influence on their operation, and hence how much focus is on innovation. By addressing the identified barriers and working within the organization to overcome them, the adoption of new technologies and solutions has great potential to improve. This would improve responsiveness within public healthcare, making it more susceptible toward new and improved technologies and solutions, which would improve patient care and thereby increase societal value.