What ‘Sparks’ Innovation in Rural Health Settings: A case study

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Sheree Lloyd
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5135-4771
Gerard FitzGerald
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5586-0097
Jean Collie
Cynthia Cliff
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8226-491X

Abstract

Objective: To determine how innovation occurs and identify the factors that support innovation in a rural hospital in New South Wales, Australia.


Design: Situated within a larger case study, this research collected qualitative data using semi-structured interviews.


Setting: Inner regional hospital, located in a city, providing a broad range of acute and primary health services to a rural community.


Participants: Hospital executives, department managers, consultant and staff specialist surgeons, physicians, nursing, nursing managers and allied health staff were recruited after a phone, personal or email approach.


Main Outcome measure: Qualitative interviews (n=25) conducted in a rural hospital.


Results: Fourteen innovations were identified. Factors supporting innovation were when individuals who were valued by team members had the ability to make within team innovations with ease; clinicians with ideas for improvement led innovation; external agencies- the Clinical Excellence Commission and the Agency for Clinical Innovation provided expertise, ideas, and motivation for innovation. Limiting factors included time for innovation, creative thinking, planning, and implementation. Funding, the bureaucracy and multiple points of consultation to make changes were also identified.


Conclusions: Innovation occurred despite the absence of factors theory suggests are required. In rural settings, there are limited staff and resources leading to scarcity with no additional capacity in the system and innovation is a necessity. Further innovation could be unleashed if small amounts of resourcing and time were provided to staff with innovative ideas to improve services, change processes or introduce new ways of working.

Article Details

How to Cite
Lloyd, S., FitzGerald, G., Collie, J., & Cliff, C. (2022). What ‘Sparks’ Innovation in Rural Health Settings: A case study. Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.24083/apjhm.v17i3.1609
Section
Research Articles
Author Biographies

Sheree Lloyd, University of Tasmania, Australia

Australian Institute of Health Service Management, College of Business and Economics (COBE), University of Tasmania, Australia

Gerard FitzGerald, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia

Emeritus Professor, Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health School of Public Health and Social Work; Queensland University of Technology (QUT) , Australia

Jean Collie, School of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Medicine & Health, University of Wollongong, Australia

Associate Professor, Director of Medical Education, School of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Medicine & Health, University of Wollongong, Australia

Cynthia Cliff, Research and Innovation Division, University of Southern Queensland, Australia

Business Manager (Research Partnerships) , Research and Innovation Division, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield Central, QLD, Australia

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