Barriers to Knowledge Management Practices, Interprofessional Collaboration and Information Technology Application in Federal Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria

Abstract

Effective dissemination of knowledge among healthcare professionals using information and telecommunication technology has been identified as an important tools to improve qaulity service delivery. This study provide succinct explanation of the constraints of using information technology in the management of knowledge among diverse healthcare professionals in federal tertiary hospitals in Nigeria. The study specifically focus on factors militating against the effective use of information technology application to manage knowledge to promote interprofessional collaboration for improved quality service deleivery. Cross-sectional data were collected from 479 healthcare workers across the federal tertiary hospitals in Nigeria. Using the Relative Importance Index (RII), the results show that inadequate ICT infrastructure (R = 0.79), inadequate technical support (R = 0.78), ICT illiteracy (R = 0.77), inadequate management support (R= 0.76), behavioural and personal characteristics (R = 0.72), among others are the major barriers militating against interprofessional collaboration and knowledge management in federal tertiary hospitals in Nigeria. Majority of the respondents also perceived lack of time and interaction among healthcare workers, poor verbal communication, level of experience, organisational structure and hierarchy, difference in education and gender as parts of the sociocultural factors inhibiting effective management of knowledge and interprofessional collaboration among healthcare workers. The study concludes that provision of basic information and communication technology facility to healthcare workers is paramount to enhance knowledge sharing and interprofessional collaboration to improve quality health service delivery. Adequate funding, provision of medical infrastructure and basic amenities, healthcare workers eduction and orientation towards the benefits of interprofessional collaboration using the IT application are suggested as ways to improve quality healthcare services in tertiary hospiatls.