JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

With electronic technologies, patients are provided with tools to easily acquire information, to manage and record their own health status. EHealth interventions are already broadly applied in perioperative care. In a similar way, we aimed to utilize an smartphone application for postoperative patients enabling them to partially self-manage their postoperative pain. The results of a previously performed proof of concept study regarding the application were promising, and nurses as well as patients were optimistic regarding this innovative mobile application. Nevertheless, in reality it appears that the usage and overall implementation of this application has stagnated since its introduction. Problems of innovation adoption are not novel, various studies have been conducted to explore the reasons for low implementation success of eHealth applications and indicated that adoption is influenced by multiple organizational factors. This study investigates the influence of these organizational factors on the adoption process, aiming to provide more insight in the do’s and don’ts for implementing eHealth in the working processes of hospital care.

Objective:

To provide insight in how to successfully implement a technological eHealth innovation in a general non-academic hospital.

Methods:

A qualitative study was conducted to explore organizational factors affecting the innovation adoption process. Data was collected by conducting semi-structured one-to-one interviews with eleven stakeholders. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis identifying overarching themes.

Results:

Absorptive capacity, referred to as an organization’s dynamic capability pertaining to knowledge creation and utilization that enhances an organization’s ability to gain and sustain a competitive advantage, was regarded as the most influential factor on the applications adoption. Accordingly, it appeared that innovation adoption is mainly determined by the capability and willingness to assimilate and transform new information into productive use and the ability to absorb a novel innovation. Absorptive capacity was found to be influenced by the innovation’s benefit and the sense of ownership and responsibility. Organizational readiness and management support were also regarded as essential, since absorptive capacity seemed to be mediated by these factors. The size of hospital influenced eHealth adoption by the amount of resources available and by its organizational structure.

Conclusions:

In conclusion, absorptive capacity is essential for eHealth adoption and it is mediated by management support and organizational readiness. It is recommended to increase the degree in willingness and ability to adopt an eHealth innovation by enhancing the relevance, engaging stakeholders and assigning appropriate leaders to offer guidance. Clinical Trial: This study was conducted as part of the ‘Closing the loop’ project, approved by the local medical ethics committee and board of OLVG Hospital on December the 30th 2019 with registration number WO 19.167.