Use and exchange of knowledge in the introduction of hospital-based home rehabilitation after a stroke: barriers and facilitators in change management

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to contribute to research and practice on how the use and exchange of knowledge can facilitate change in health care, specifically methods supporting managers. The study also aimed to investigate barriers related to governance principles that may affect organizational ability to improve quality of care. To achieve the purpose, the study followed a project of hospital-based home rehabilitation after a stroke at a hospital in Norrbotten County, Sweden. METHODS: Seven individual interviews were performed to obtain information from the project members and the managers involved in the project. A group interview with the team and their immediate manager were conducted after the project ended. A thematic analysis was performed to identify and present patterns that formed the results of the study. RESULTS: The study shows how knowledge was identified, gathered, used, and disseminated in the project. The analysis pointed out how knowledge played an important role from two perspectives: in evidence-based practice in rehabilitation work and for change management. Knowledge exchange and learning across organizational boundaries increased the pace, efficiency, and effectiveness, but collaboration on knowledge, in the sense of joint activities based on a common purpose, only took place within the rehabilitation work. Furthermore, there were indications that governance principles, such as the distribution of financial responsibility and the requirements for official recommendations, influenced the pace of change. CONCLUSIONS: It was shown that the exchange of knowledge and collaboration can facilitate change in health care, but that communication needs to be planned and prioritised. Readiness for change was the basis for the success of the project and for ensuring commitment among those involved. There is also a need for the management to understand how governance principles may affect the efficiency of change work. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-07618-x.