Readiness for Change in the Implementation of a 3D Printing Initiative in a Catalan Tertiary Hospital Using the Normalization Process Theory: Survey Study

Abstract

Background: The high failure rate of innovation projects motivates us to understand the perceptions about resistances and barriers of the main stakeholders to improving success rates.

Objective: This study aims to analyze the readiness for change in the implementation of a 3D printing project in a Catalan tertiary hospital prior to its implementation.

Methods: We used a web-based, voluntary, and anonymous survey using the Normalization Measurement Development questionnaire (NoMAD) to gather views and perceptions from a selected group of health care professionals at Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital.

Results: In this study, 58 professionals, including heads of service (n=30, 51%), doctors (n=18, 31%), nurses (n=7, 12%), and support staff (n=3, 5%), responded to the questionnaire. All groups saw the value of the project and were willing to enroll and support it. Respondents reported the highest scores (out of 5) in cognitive participation (mean 4.45, SD 0.04), coherence (mean 3.72, SD 0.13), and reflective monitoring (mean 3.80, SD 0.25). The weakest score was in collective action (mean 3.52, SD 0.12). There were no statistically significant differences in scores among professions in the survey.

Conclusions: The 3D printing project implementation should pay attention to preparing, defining, sharing, and supporting the operational work involved in its use and implementation. It should also understand, assess, and communicate the ways in which the new set of practices can affect the users and others around them. We suggest that health officers and politicians consider this experience as a solid ground toward the development of a more efficient health innovation system and as a catalyst for transformation.

Keywords: 3D printing; NPT; NoMAD; Normalization Measure Development questionnaire; assessment; barrier; change management; communicate; development; implementation; normalization process theory; printing; questionnaire; readiness; readiness for change; support; survey; tertiary hospital; transformation; users.