THE CHALLENGE OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN HEALTHCARE

The healthcare system is a knowledge-driven, interdependent set of major domains experiencing fundamental change due to multiple factors such as advances in science and technology, patient expectations, and government funding and oversight. This paper examines the escalating role of technology in healthcare, recent advances in organizational learning and knowledge management, and how healthcare professionals can leverage the knowledge associated with implementing and integrating new technologies to improve patient care and system effectiveness by institutionalizing it in systems, structures, procedures, and strategy. We conclude with a call for research and scholarly inquiry involving experts in knowledge management, organizational change, and healthcare.