Title: Patients, participation and wicked problems in hospitals: a plea for embracing the networked governance approach

Authors: Jan Vang; Annalisa Brambini

Addresses: Department of Technology and Innovation, SDU Section of Global Sustainable Production, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark ' Department of Technology and Innovation, SDU Section of Global Sustainable Production, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark

Abstract: Recent years have witnessed a surge of wicked problems in respect to healthcare systems' ability to deliver quality solutions at affordable costs. Scholars from different schools have provided various types of solutions. However, the central problem with these different approaches is that the patient is either absent or considered a passive user of the system. Thus, there is a need for a different approach that sees the patient as an active contributor to solving wicked problems. The paper argues that the governance network approach, although in its infancy, provides the contours of a new approach that should replace previous approaches.

Keywords: hospitals; innovation; healthcare; sustainability; SDG; users; participation.

DOI: 10.1504/WREMSD.2021.116652

World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 2021 Vol.17 No.4, pp.431 - 452

Received: 03 Jan 2020
Accepted: 13 Jan 2020
Published online: 29 Jul 2021 *

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