Innovation in health service management: Adoption of project management offices to support major health care transformation.

AIM: To explore the characteristics that influence project management offices acceptance and adoption in healthcare sector.

BACKGROUND: The creation of project management offices has been suggested as a promising avenue to promote successful organisational change and facilitate evidence-based practice. However, little is known about the characteristics that promote their initial adoption and acceptance in health care sector. This knowledge is important in the context where many organisations are considering implementing project management offices with nurse managers as leaders.

METHODS: A descriptive multiple case study design was used. The unit of analysis was the project management offices. The study was conducted in three university-affiliated teaching hospitals in 2013-14 (Canada). Individual interviews (n = 34) were conducted with senior managers.

RESULTS: Results reveal that project management offices dedicated to project and change management constitute an innovation and an added value that addresses tangible needs in the field.

CONCLUSION: Project management offices are an innovation highly compatible with health care managers and their approach has parallels to the process of clinical problem solving and reasoning well-known to adopters.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: This knowledge is important in a context where many nurses hold various roles in project management offices, such as Director, project manager, clinical expert and knowledge broker.