Knowledge Management as a discipline for Improving Healthcare Facilities in Saudi Arabia: The Keystone of Knowledge Based System

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction1

Problem Statement1

Purpose of the study1

Hypothesis1

Significance of the study2

Rationale of the study3

Chapter 2: Literature Review5

Quality Management6

QM and the Need of KM in the Healthcare Sector7

Knowledge Management in Healthcare context9

Chapter 3: Methodology13

Research Design13

Literature Search13

Eligibility of studies14

Keywords14

Chapter 4: Discussion15

Relevance of KM to Quality Assurance and Technology15

Healthcare KM Infrastructure16

Significance of KM in Healthcare Sector18

Medical error reduction18

Cooperation and Innovation18

Quality of Care19

Cost Reduction20

Knowledge Organization and Organizational Learning20

Healthcare Challenges toward KM22

Chapter 5: Conclusion24

References26

Chapter 1: Introduction

Problem Statement

Knowledge Management (KM) as a concept was conceptualized in the 1980's. The increasing role played by information technology in the contemporary society has enabled the subsequent development of the efficient KM tools with the use of collaborative software and databases. Being an interdisciplinary concept, the KM system has drawn concepts from philosophy, management sources, organizational studies, information technology management, and cognitive sciences. This has resulted to the existence of various approaches and schools in the KM practice. The KM is established within the healthcare sectors in the management domain of health organization and the management of electronic health record. In line with this perspective, the past studies carried out in the business domain are now being applied in the healthcare knowledge management. However, the healthcare sector has been experiences different issues and challenges due to its different nature as compared to the business sector.

Purpose of the study

The field of KM has tremendous application and value to the healthcare industry, particularly for hospitals and their systems. In cases where investment has been focused on the KM infrastructure and proactive leadership, there has been considerable impact over the workers ownership and participation to their hospital system or its membership organization.

Hypothesis

KM needs to be implemented in order to improve the quality of the healthcare services being provided by hospitals

Significance of the study

KM is a contemporary business strategy and practice that an organization uses to identify, create, represent, distribute and enable embracing of approaches and skills. KM offers extension to trends in digitalization of information and makes information available around the clock (Cheah & Abidi, 1999). Globalization of business which makes it possible for production to occur at any location is another trend. Lastly, it achieves accountability and reduction of risks in modern business which requires delivery of timely information. It is a discipline that focuses on bringing people together. It is also a process that brings people and technology together in a systematic way which an organization requires to succeed in creation, capturing and sharing of information.

Health care sector is not immune to the pressures of globalization. There is more information that requires capturing, cataloguing and retrieving clinical information which affects patient care and decision making. This is the most decisive issue that is facing most health care suppliers in the world today. Delivery of health care is not only a national issue but a global one. Globalization of national health standards requires providers to report on how they are performing in comparison to ...