The document discusses the importance of transforming knowledge management in the Canadian health sector to improve knowledge translation by accepting complexity. It introduces key concepts such as complex adaptive systems and the knowledge creation funnel, emphasizing that effective collaboration and social technologies can enhance knowledge sharing among health professionals. The conclusion highlights the necessity for cultural change and a shared platform to achieve efficiency and interoperability in health information management.

1. Collaborative Culture?

2. Knowledge Management in Canadian Health:
Improving knowledge translation
by embracing complexity.
Thom Kearney
MGMT5001

3. "Knowledge is of two kinds.
We know a subject ourselves, or we know
where we can find information upon it. “
Samuel Johnson (Boswell's Life of Johnson)

4. Agenda
• Health information in Canada
• Key concepts:
– Knowledge creations funnel
– Complex adaptive systems
• Opportunities for solutions (problems)
• Embracing the complexity
• A personal example

5. Canadian Health system overview
Jurisdictions
Yukon NWT
Nunavut
Less than 1% pop PEI
British
Columbia Alberta Canadian
Infoway Health Forces CIC
10-15 % pop Canada RCMP
HC
VAC PHAC
CIHI
Corrections
PHAC Federal
CIHR Healthcare Partnership
Quebec Federal Influence Less than 1% pop
23-40% pop Ontario New
Manitoba Brunswick
Saskatchewan Newfoundland Nova Scotia
and Labrador 1-5 % pop

6. Knowledge Action Cycle

7. Knowledge Creation Funnel
Bottle Neck

8. Complex adaptive system
Individuals using simple rules, Components
acting for their own reasons • Self organization
create an adaptive system. • Emergence
• Relationships
• Feedback
• Adaptability
• Non-Linearity
Interactions, relationships within the context of the
network result in dynamic knowledge sharing.
(Robeson, 2009)

9. Opportunities for solutions
• Knowledge translation takes too long.
Especially creating knowledge tools
• Resources are limited and jurisdictions tend to
do the same sorts of things (duplication is
bad)
• Knowledge is leaving for the golf course

10. Embrace the complexity
Employ social technologies:
• Connect all health professionals in Canada
• No personal health data
• Open and closed groups of all types
• Multiple layers of security and veracity
• Make it easy to join, easy to share
Design for the six components of a complex adaptive system:
Self organization Emergence Relationships
Feedback Adaptability Non-Linearity

11. Example

12. Conclusion
• Social technologies can help with knowledge
translation in health.
• Culture will take time to change, social
technologies encourage sharing and trust
• Critical mass matters, go big or go home.

14. Shared platform
Shared Benefits
Efficiency and focus
Interoperability
ST&E Connectedness
Shared knowledge
Access
Agility
Shared Technology
Policy? Health Common profile
Standard xml
Open development
Governance – basic enablement and standards. National scope with connections