Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2004;82(4):581-629.
doi: 10.1111/j.0887-378X.2004.00325.x.

Diffusion of innovations in service organizations: systematic review and recommendations

Trisha Greenhalgh  1 , Glenn Robert, Fraser Macfarlane, Paul Bate, Olivia Kyriakidou
Affiliations

Diffusion of innovations in service organizations: systematic review and recommendations

Trisha Greenhalgh et al. Milbank Q. 2004.

Abstract

This article summarizes an extensive literature review addressing the question, How can we spread and sustain innovations in health service delivery and organization? It considers both content (defining and measuring the diffusion of innovation in organizations) and process (reviewing the literature in a systematic and reproducible way). This article discusses (1) a parsimonious and evidence-based model for considering the diffusion of innovations in health service organizations, (2) clear knowledge gaps where further research should be focused, and (3) a robust and transferable methodology for systematically reviewing health service policy and management. Both the model and the method should be tested more widely in a range of contexts.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Summary of Sources Contributing to the Systematic Review
Figure 2
Figure 2
Different Conceptual and Theoretical Bases for the Spread of Innovation in Service Organizations
Figure 3
Figure 3
Conceptual Model for Considering the Determinants of Diffusion, Dissemination, and Implementation of Innovations in Health Service Delivery and Organization, Based on a Systematic Review of Empirical Research Studies
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

    1. Abrahamson E. Managerial Fads and Fashions: The Diffusion and Rejection of Innovation. California Management Review. 1991;16:586–612.
    1. Abrahamson E, Fairchild G. Management Fashion: Lifecycles, Triggers and Collective Learning Processes. Administrative Sciences Quarterly. 1999;44(4):708–40.
    1. Adler PS, Kwon S-W, Singer JMK. 2003. The “Six-West” Problem: Professionals and the Intraorganizational Diffusion of Innovations, with Particular Reference to the Case of Hospitals. Working paper 3–15 Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California Full text available on http://www.marshall.usc.edu/web/MOR.cfm?doc_id=5561Los Angeles.
    1. Anderson NR, West NA. Measuring Climate for Work Group Innovation. Journal of Organizational Behaviour. 1998;19:235–58.
    1. Aubert BA, Hamel G. Adoption of Smart Cards in the Medical Sector: The Canadian Experience. Social Science & Medicine. 2001;53(7):879–94. - PubMed

Publication types