Knowledge Sharing and Healthcare Coordination: The Role of Creation and Use Brokers

Health Systems, 3 (3), 185-198, November 2014

40 Pages Posted: 16 Aug 2015

See all articles by Marco Marabelli

Marco Marabelli

Bentley University

Sue Newell

University of Sussex - School of Business, Management and Economics

Chantal Krantz

Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute (CHEO)

Jacky Swan

Warwick Business School

Date Written: January 1, 2014

Abstract

The paper arises from research that examined a healthcare coordination improvement initiative that was focused on increasing knowledge sharing among a network of healthcare workers involved in the care of children with complex medical needs. Part of this initiative involved a summary medical note (the SPOC) that was paper-based and carried by parents between the specialists involved in their child’s care. The SPOC’s effectiveness is discussed through a knowledge as practice perspective, which focuses on the role of mediators (both material and human). Our analysis demonstrates that the SPOC’s effectiveness can be understood by looking at the combined roles of boundary objects and human brokers. We identify two distinct broker roles: creation brokers and use brokers. In discussing our case, we extend our analysis to suggest how these broker roles may also be useful in thinking about how to improve the effectiveness of (electronic) health record systems more generally – for researchers as well as for practitioners.

Suggested Citation

Marabelli, Marco and Newell, Sue and Krantz, Chantal and Swan, Jacky, Knowledge Sharing and Healthcare Coordination: The Role of Creation and Use Brokers (January 1, 2014). Health Systems, 3 (3), 185-198, November 2014, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2644527

Marco Marabelli (Contact Author)

Bentley University ( email )

175 Forest Street
Waltham, MA 02145
United States

Sue Newell

University of Sussex - School of Business, Management and Economics

Falmer, Brighton BN1 9SL
United Kingdom

Chantal Krantz

Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute (CHEO) ( email )

401 Smyth Road
Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L1
Canada

Jacky Swan

Warwick Business School

Coventry CV4 7AL
United Kingdom

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