Innovation Skills Assessment in Healthcare: Benchmarking Capacities in Low-Resource Settings
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: ABSTRACT Background: Innovation is a key driver of healthcare transformation, particularly in low-resource settings where systemic constraints often hinder service delivery. Assessing innovation capacities among healthcare employees can inform workforce development strategies. This study applies the previously validated Innovation Skills Assessment (ISA) tool to examine workforce innovation potential at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan, offering insights for targeted capacity-building interventions. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at Mukhtar A. Sheikh Hospital in Multan, Pakistan, using the ISA tool adapted from the General Innovation Skills Aptitude Test. The survey captured demographic data and assessed innovation skills across four pillars: idea generation, risk-taking, interpersonal relationships, and idea implementation. A total of 250 electronic surveys were distributed via hospital communication channels, with 161 responses (64% response rate). Responses were rated on a 5-point Likert scale, and mean scores with standard deviations were calculated for each pillar. Descriptive statistics were used to explore observable trends across age, gender, education level, and job designation, without formal hypothesis testing. Results: Participants aged 36–45 years had the highest overall mean scores (4.48 ± 0.31), with notable strengths in idea generation (4.48 ± 0.31) and implementation (4.53 ± 0.33). Males showed higher average scores across all pillars, with interpersonal relationships as the strongest domain (4.49 ± 0.42). Participants with intermediate education reported higher mean scores in creativity and risk-taking (4.36 ± 0.45 and 4.20 ± 0.57, respectively). These patterns suggest potential demographic influences on innovation capacities. Conclusion: The ISA tool can be feasibly applied to map innovation skills within healthcare workforces in low-resource contexts. The identified trends may help guide workforce development through tailored training and institutional policies that promote a culture of innovation. Keywords: Innovation Skills Assessment, Healthcare Workforce, Low-Resource Settings, Human-Centered Design, Capacity-Building, Pakistan, Benchmarking, Workforce Innovation
Source: ConductScience Journal
DOI: 10.55157/csj.v2i2.3
Institutions: Aga Khan University, Shaqra University
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4413441476