Evaluation of an Access-Risk-Knowledge (ARK) Platform for Governance of Risk and Change in Complex Socio-Technical Systems

Nick McDonald, Lucy McKenna, Rebecca Vining, Brian Doyle, Junli Liang, Marie E. Ward, Pernilla Ulfvengren, Una Geary, John Guilfoyle, Arwa Shuhaiber, Julio Hernandez, Mary Fogarty, Una Healy, Christopher Tallon and Rob Brennan
Additional contact information
Nick McDonald: Centre for Innovative Human Systems, School of Psychology, Trinity College, The University of Dublin, D02 PN40 Dublin, Ireland
Lucy McKenna: ADAPT Centre, School of Computing, Dublin City University, D09 PX21 Dublin, Ireland
Rebecca Vining: Centre for Innovative Human Systems, School of Psychology, Trinity College, The University of Dublin, D02 PN40 Dublin, Ireland
Brian Doyle: Centre for Innovative Human Systems, School of Psychology, Trinity College, The University of Dublin, D02 PN40 Dublin, Ireland
Junli Liang: ADAPT Centre, School of Computing, Dublin City University, D09 PX21 Dublin, Ireland
Marie E. Ward: Centre for Innovative Human Systems, School of Psychology, Trinity College, The University of Dublin, D02 PN40 Dublin, Ireland
Pernilla Ulfvengren: KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Industrial Economics and Management, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
Una Geary: Quality and Safety Improvement Directorate, St. James’s Hospital Dublin, D08 NHY1 Dublin, Ireland
John Guilfoyle: Health and Safety Unit, Dublin Fire Brigade, D02 RY99 Dublin, Ireland
Arwa Shuhaiber: Beacon Renal, Sandyford Business Park, D18 TH56 Dublin, Ireland
Julio Hernandez: ADAPT Centre, School of Computing, Dublin City University, D09 PX21 Dublin, Ireland
Mary Fogarty: Quality and Safety Improvement Directorate, St. James’s Hospital Dublin, D08 NHY1 Dublin, Ireland
Una Healy: Quality and Safety Improvement Directorate, St. James’s Hospital Dublin, D08 NHY1 Dublin, Ireland
Christopher Tallon: Health and Safety Unit, Dublin Fire Brigade, D02 RY99 Dublin, Ireland
Rob Brennan: ADAPT Centre, School of Computing, Dublin City University, D09 PX21 Dublin, Ireland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 23, 1-33

Abstract: Three key challenges to a whole-system approach to process improvement in health systems are the complexity of socio-technical activity, the capacity to change purposefully, and the consequent capacity to proactively manage and govern the system. The literature on healthcare improvement demonstrates the persistence of these problems. In this project, the Access-Risk-Knowledge (ARK) Platform, which supports the implementation of improvement projects, was deployed across three healthcare organisations to address risk management for the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). In each organisation, quality and safety experts initiated an ARK project and participated in a follow-up survey and focus group. The platform was then evaluated against a set of fifteen needs related to complex system transformation. While the results highlighted concerns about the platform’s usability, feedback was generally positive regarding its effectiveness and potential value in supporting HCAI risk management. The ARK Platform addresses the majority of identified needs for system transformation; other needs were validated in the trial or are undergoing development. This trial provided a starting point for a knowledge-based solution to enhance organisational governance and develop shared knowledge through a Community of Practice that will contribute to sustaining and generalising that change.

Keywords: Access Risk Knowledge (ARK); knowledge engineering platform; socio-technical systems; systems engineering; system change; risk in change; mindful governance; infection prevention control; COVID-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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