Introduction: Technological developments and resource scarcity in long-term care make it more important than ever for organizations to prepare for innovation to ensure affordable access to care. Innovation-ready organizations are better equipped to implement new solutions. However, there is limited knowledge and few tools to help organizations become innovation-ready. Care professionals, such as occupational therapists, can be key players in this process.
Objectives: How do elderly care professionals perceive the value and usability of the Maastricht Innovation Readiness Framework?
Method: Literature reviews, qualitative research, a Q-methodology study, and co-creation sessions led to the development of the Maastricht Innovation Readiness Approach (MIRA). A mixed-methods approach was used to assess the value and usability of MIRA in 10 elderly care organizations.
Findings: The Maastricht Innovation Readiness Approach includes an Innovation Readiness Framework, a questionnaire, and a consensus meeting format. Care organizations seeking insight into their innovation readiness can ask 15-20 professionals to complete the questionnaire, reflecting on each factor of the framework. This is followed by a consensus meeting to discuss results, identify strengths and weaknesses, and agree on areas for improvement. Professionals from ten elderly care institutions agreed that MIRA is feasible in practice and provides important insights for organizations seeking to improve innovation readiness.
Conclusion: Innovation Readiness Approach offers care professionals a mutual understanding of innovation readiness and elderly care organizations a shared framework for assessing innovation readiness. More research is necessary into application in other domains of care.