This book explores the social context of healthcare innovation and highlights the emergent and contingent nature of implementing change. Drawing on empirical evidence, it examines the ways in which people and organisations engage in collective sensemaking processes to create meanings that enable innovation to become integrated into health care practice. With contributions from a range of cross-disciplinary authors and perspectives, the book ultimately advocates for a more open and interpretive approach to implementation, drawing together lessons learnt across the cases presented. This leads to a closer consideration of the processes through which collective sensemaking shape the implementation of healthcare innovation and change.

Chapters 1, 4 and 5 are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License via link.springer.com. 

Gregory Maniatopoulos is Professor of Healthcare Management and Co-Director of the Centre for Healthcare Innovation, Policy and Management at the University of Leicester School of Business, UK. His background and interests focus on the role of innovation in health care, particularly exploring how organisational and policy factors shape the implementation and appropriation of innovations in healthcare practice. He has published widely on topics exploring the development and implementation of healthcare innovation, digital health, health systems and transformational change.

Gemma Hughes is Associate Professor of Healthcare Management and Co-Director of the Centre for Healthcare Innovation, Policy and Management at the University of Leicester School of Business, UK. Her research critically analyses the intersections between healthcare organisational practices, policy and patients’ experiences. Gemma’s publications bring social theory to bear on complex health and social care questions such as integrated care and the adoption of technology.