INFLUENCE OF STRATEGIC INNOVATION PRACTICES ON OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE OF NATIONAL REFERRAL HOSPITALS IN KENYA
Abstract
Purpose of the study: The study examined the influence of strategic innovation practices on the operational performance of national referral hospitals in Kenya.
Problem statement: National referral hospitals in Kenya experience persistent operational inefficiencies, including long patient waiting times, overcrowding, and inconsistent service quality, despite ongoing health sector reforms and technological advancements.
Methodology: The study adopted a descriptive research design using stratified random sampling of 384 healthcare professionals, with data collected through structured questionnaires and interviews and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression.
Findings: The findings revealed that technological, process, organizational, and service innovations had strong positive and significant effects on operational performance, with organizational innovation exerting the strongest influence.
Conclusion: The study concluded that strategic innovation significantly improves hospital operational performance.
Recommendations: The study recommends that national referral hospitals should intensify investment in digital health infrastructure, strengthen and update standard operating procedures, expand lean management and triage systems, institutionalize organizational innovations through decentralized decision-making and staff empowerment and establish reward systems that promote innovative practices.
Keywords: Strategic innovation, operational performance, national referral hospitals, technological innovation, service innovation
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