The role of social communication networks in implementing educational innovations in healthcare

PhD ceremony: Mr. E. Jippes, 14.30 uur, Academiegebouw, Broerstraat 5, Groningen

Dissertation: The role of social communication networks in implementing educational innovations in healthcare

Promotor(s): prof. J.M.L. van Engelen, prof. P.L.P. Brand

Faculty: Economics and Business

The thesis by Erik Jippes addressed how to effectively and efficiently design a modernized competency-based postgraduate medical education curriculum and how to improve the knowledge transfer (diffusion, dissemination, implementation) about these curricula in general and more specifically with regard to the role of social networks. The systematic design principles have been validated in the context of these curricula. Jippes examined the promoting and impeding factors that influenced the implementation process of a competency-based curriculum for obstetrics & gynecology and pediatrics. He found three interrelated groups of factors influencing the implementation process: attributes of the innovations and adopters, attributes of the implementation process, and attributes of the organization. The context-rich description of the implementation process added to new research directions that value these rich descriptions. Jippes advanced the understanding of the structure of social networks in postgraduate medical curriculum innovation; he demonstrated the importance of centrality, density and segmentation. Furthermore, he added to the knowledge base of product innovation by demonstrating the importance of combining a dissemination approach with the natural process of diffusion and he advanced the knowledge base of leadership research. The large dataset and advanced analyses techniques made it possible to build a strong case regarding the role of social networks in innovation adoption in healthcare. This thesis may create the awareness among physicians that social networks can be used to achieve certain ends. The thesis provides policymakers, program directors, supervising medical specialists and residents, with recommendations how to generally design ánd implement the innovations embedded in the renewed competency-based postgraduate medical education curricula.