Author(s): Omri Yalovski, Avishay Goldberg
Internationally, healthcare systems around the world are complex, expensive, and often unable to deliver optimal services to their country’s residents. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed and exacerbated these weaknesses. There is evidence that widespread adoption of entrepreneurial tools such as approaches, software, apps, and platforms to deliver healthcare services can improve medical care by reducing costs and increasing effectiveness. Despite the use of entrepreneurial tools in other economic sectors, Israel’s healthcare system has not embraced them widely. This study aimed to examine the attitudes of senior healthcare managers and entrepreneurs concerning the implementation of entrepreneurial tools in order to assess reasons for the slow uptake of such tools in the Israeli healthcare system and to suggest possible solutions. Methods: In this qualitative study, 18 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 entrepreneurs and 8 senior healthcare managers who represent the controlling organizations within the system. Results: Five key factors which influence the use of entrepreneurial tools in the Israeli healthcare system were identified: unfamiliarity with entrepreneurship tools; conservatism or a lack of openness; the importance of entrepreneur and innovation centers; lack of system controls and mechanisms for tracking and encouraging integration; and conflicting views on budget. Limitations: Limitations of this study include small sample size and limited literature on the topic, which both impaired the ability to make comparisons. Conclusions and Implications: This study suggests that in order to improve the uptake of entrepreneurial tools, healthcare system players may study entrepreneurial tools, establish appropriate entrepreneurship and innovation centers and other infrastructures, and focus on low-budget opportunities.