Knowledge management practices in healthcare settings: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• Hospitals are complex organizations with diverse professionals and intricate decision-making processes.
• Knowledge is a critical intangible asset offering a competitive advantage.
• Effective knowledge management (KM) can enhance hospital productivity and resource utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and analyze key elements of knowledge management in healthcare settings.
• To identify barriers to successful knowledge management implementation in hospitals.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of Medline, Cinahl, and Health Source databases (2004-2014).
• Qualitative content analysis of 20 eligible peer-reviewed articles.
• Analysis of data from 2155 participants across 20 studies.

Main Results:

• Identified key KM elements: perceptions, synthesis, dissemination, collaboration, means of KM, and leadership.
• Highlighted barriers to KM implementation, including time constraints and limited skills.
• Most studies (13/20) employed qualitative methodologies.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare managers should foster a knowledge-sharing environment, act as role models, and provide necessary tools.
• Encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing is crucial for successful KM.
• Patient-centeredness is vital for maximizing the value of KM in healthcare.