User Involvement in Service Development and Innovation Projects - How does the healthcare sector involve its users in service development and innovation projects?

Abstract

Background – While the healthcare sector has recently increased its focus on involving users in service development and innovation projects, there is a lack of knowledge on how to do so, as previous research is insufficient. Objective – The purpose of the study is to examine how the healthcare sector involves its users in service development and innovation projects. The aim is to improve the knowledge regarding user involvement by proposing a reporting framework. By improving the quality of the evidence on user involvement through efficient reporting, a consensus regarding best practice can be reached. Methods – The study examines user involvement with an inductive approach through ten in-depth interviews of project workers with experience from service development and innovation projects in the healthcare sector. Results – The findings show a lack of consensus regarding whom, when, and how to involve users given project factors such as aim, size, and target users. The knowledge gap regarding the management of user involvement is reflected in the identified difference between how user involvement is intended and how it is practiced. Conclusion – The study suggests that a framework for reporting on user involvement may improve the knowledge on the topic, and hence bridge the difference between intended and practiced user involvement. By reporting on the project factors, who, when, and how users were involved (Table 3), projects can be compared in order to identify a best practice regarding user involvement in service development and innovation projects in the healthcare sector.