Innovation in healthcare: Issues and future trends

Despite the fact that there has been significant improvement in the healthcare industry, inefficiency still exists and little accomplished in understanding how to overcome those inefficiencies using innovation in healthcare. This study seeks to answer the following research questions. How do executives and practitioners define the term innovation in healthcare? How do healthcare organizations come up with innovative ideas and how do they make those innovative decisions? How do healthcare executives and practitioners roll out those innovative changes in their organizations? What strategies do these organizations apply toward the formulation of innovative decisions? What role does information technology play in the innovative process? The researchers conducted in-depth interviews to answer several research questions. The respondents included 21C-level healthcare executives from 15 healthcare units. Results of the decision-making processes used by these executives concerning innovation conclude with a practical model. Finally, implications for practitioners and policy makers and future trends complete the paper.