A systematic-qualitative research for diffusion of innovation in the primary healthcare centers

Purpose – This paper aims to discuss a model for diffusion of innovation among the professionals of primary health-care centers in Finland. The authors answer partially to one of the important questions of the policymakers titled “How primary health-care centers can move toward systems that continuously improve their innovation?”. Design/methodology/approach – A systematic-qualitative framework based on an action research is presented to assess dynamics of diffusion of innovation in the primary health-care centers in Finland. Findings – The authors conceptualize the innovation systems of primary health-care systems by three different diagrams: subsystem diagram, policy structure diagram and causal loop diagram. The investigation reviews innovation process of Finnish professionals (staffs, nurses and doctors) in the frame of a systematic-qualitative analysis. The relationships and consequences of decisions and policies are discussed with a new way of thinking in the health-care sector studies. Originality/value – The implemented systematic-qualitative research in this article is an innovative approach in the innovation studies of the health-care systems.