The role of open innovation in addressing resource constraints in healthcare: a systematic literature review

Abstract

PurposeThe resource crisis in healthcare can be alleviated by engaging external stakeholders and resources in healthcare delivery. The authors use value and open innovation concepts to understand what motivates the stakeholders to join the healthcare innovation ecosystem and what value such an ecosystem brings to healthcare.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review following the PRISMA framework method was applied to reach the research objective. Out of a total of 509 identified articles published till 2021, 25 were selected as relevant for this review.FindingsSix categories of actors were identified, including innovation intermediaries, which were so far neglected in the healthcare innovation literature. Furthermore, patients, healthcare providers, innovation suppliers, investors and influencers were described. The authors also distinguished internal and external stakeholders. The authors show why and how open innovation projects contribute to involving external stakeholders and resources in healthcare delivery by contributing to patient autonomy, relationship building, knowledge transfer, improving collaborative mindset and culture, advancing know-how and bringing additional finances.Originality/valueThis article is the first one to systematically describe the value of open innovation in healthcare. The authors challenge the positivist approach in value presented by value-based healthcare. The authors show how openness contributes to addressing the resource crisis by involving new stakeholders and resources in the care delivery process.

The ties that bind: innovation configurations in low- and middle-income healthcare delivery settings

“…Collectively these findings contribute to the healthcare innovation literature, specifically studies that focus on collaborative, interorganizational approaches to innovation (e.g. Šlapáková Losová and Dvouletý, 2024; Wankah et al. , 2022; Poblete et al.…”

“…Future quantitative research could further examine their relationships in concert. Practically, these findings provide intraorganizational approaches that can support private healthcare organizations and alleviate the burden on public healthcare finances, adding to the interorganizational approaches explored byŠlapáková Losová and Dvouletý (2024).…”

“…digital health applications or new clinical device technologies) (Poblete et al. , 2023; Šlapáková Losová and Dvouletý, 2024; Furnival et al. , 2019).…”

“…Examining these complementarities allows us to also explore how these linkages might enhance the mutual relationship between innovation types. The emergence of a lack of domestic health funding from our qualitative data suggests that innovations from private organizations are needed to fill gaps in publicly funded health systems (Šlapáková Losová and Dvouletý, 2024; Christensen et al. , 2019).…”

“…Examples include charging fees for services (Hearld et al. , 2018), implementing subscription and consultation fees (Šlapáková Losová and Dvouletý, 2024), creating multiple revenue streams (Poblete et al. , 2023), and can involve incorporating interorganizational partnerships to secure funding (Šlapáková Losová and Dvouletý, 2024; Wankah et al.…”