Blog # 7 - Diffusion of Innovations

 

Blog # 7 – Diffusion of Innovations

Diffusion – definition: the spreading of something more widely.

Innovations – definition: the action or process of innovating.  Ahhh – duh Sherlock!  Let’s break that down some more.  Innovation: change, alteration, revolution, transformation, metamorphosis, renovation; that’s more like it.

When we put it together in the theory form of diffusion of innovations, it means the spreading of a change or technological breakthrough which has a far-reaching power in society.  Most of us may think that it just has to do with evolution of technology or social media, however, it reaches further than that.  Diffusion studies are also an integral fabric of the sciences, education,
marketing and even public health.  The list goes on.  I can talk about a topic that we can all relate to and are all up to date with, but I would prefer to speak about something that we can learn about.  Diffusion of innovations in healthcare.

Healthcare continues to evolve at a fast pace.  Everyday there are new breakthroughs with medicines, or laboratories that are working on research to come up with therapies for cures for life threatening diseases.  But then you also have the healthcare of patients, especially the elderly who are suffering from a myriad of illnesses because of their advanced age. Sadly, dementia is one of them.

Dementia is a horrible affliction to the elderly affecting nearly five million Americans.  The horrific challenges it creates for the families of the patient is an emotional one.  Parents who were once the pillars of the family, may not even remember who their family is, no less be able to take care of themselves.  In a research paper I found, it described how the nursing home staff adopted an innovation in Goals of Care Communication with the patients and their families at 9 nursing homes, here, in North Carolina.  The staff utilized the GOC steps to work with the patients and assist the families as far as decision making as far as end of life care for the patients.  It is not an easy topic nor situation but these healthcare providers are testing ideas and plans to find better ways to assist patients and loved ones. 

In researching this topic, I found a site that had the title “Using Principles of Diffusion of Innovation to Improve Nursing Home Care”.  It was in the Journal of Nursing Care Quality from 2008.  It made me realize how far reaching the theory of diffusion of innovations is.  It is easy to understand how it works in social media, and when you take the information from that concept and transition it to more complex environments such ass the sciences, it truly makes sense.  It begins with an innovator, who gets people (visionaries) to adopt an idea, which in turn they will get the early majority, who will do their due diligence by reading reviews, or researching.  You will have your skeptics or the “late majority” since they are not fans of change, but are FOMO, so they will jump on the wagon.  And of course, lastly, yes, they are last… the laggards… let’s just say they are still using flip-phones.