FirstPort 2 The NHS Lanarkshire

Intranet Site as an Effective Knowledge Management

Tool

Context

• MSc Health Informatics undertaken while working for NHS Lanarkshire

• Knowledge Management topic interest

• Dissertation topic to benefit NHSL• Evaluation of current intranet site• New NHS Lanarkshire intranet

site ‘FirstPort 2’ due to be developed

Study Methods • Literature review• Online questionnaire• Focus Group interview

Literature Review – Intranet and Knowledge Management • Wall (2006) organisational culture

critical to success• Skinner (2008) value of intranet

as a storage device for ‘explicit’ knowledge

• Skinner (2008) and Gosar (2008) propose web 2.0 based intranet to socialise ‘tacit’ knowledge transfer

Role for Library Services

• Keeling (2000) highlights skills as knowledge managers and opportunity to raise profile in organisation

• Plaice (2003) library service redesigned trust intranet site and managed documents library

Questionnaire Themes

• Intranet use • Search facility • Content• Information Technology • Organisational culture • FirstPort 2

Questionnaire Findings

• Poor design • Difficult navigation • Lack of uniformity on pages• Poor search engine results • Outdated information

The Positives

• Well used resource – 75% used it at least once a day

• Useful content – 75% of respondents agreed

• Organisational culture – staff encouraged to use site

Room for Improvement

• Design and navigation • Search engine • Users need quick and easy

access to information • Effective way to manage content

and keep it up to date

Focus Group Interview Findings

• Staff bypass FirstPort and use Google to find information

• The site is too impersonal • It has a lot of potential if it can be

properly utilised

Suggestions for Improvement

• Reminders needed to update policies and documents

• Ability to host discussion forums and view videos

• Use of electronic workspaces

FirstPort 2

• Webinars and virtual meetings – confidentiality and network capabilities

• Workspaces and discussion boards – user friendly

• FirstPort 2 ‘champion’ departmental role

FirstPort 2 and NHSL Library Service

• Tendering process • Search engine – information

architecture• Corporate library

The Future

• Site to be launched in August 2012

• Improved menus and search options

• Easy access resources area • Enhanced search software • Library service to manage NHSL

‘corporate library’ section

References • Gosar, D.H. (2008). The Potential Impact of

Web 2.0 on Tacit Knowledge Management at NHS Lanarkshire. Dissertation/Thesis, Unpublished.

• Keeling, C. and Lambert, S. (2000). “Knowledge management in the NHS: positioning the healthcare librarian at the knowledge intersection”. Health Libraries Review, 17 (3), 136-43.

• Plaice, C. and Kitch, P. (2003). “Embedding knowledge management in the NHS south-west: pragmatic first steps for a practical concept”. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 20 (2), 75-85.

References• Skinner, B. (2008). “Web alert: resources to

support the development of a knowledge management strategy”. Quality in Primary Care, 16 (4), 295-99.

• Wall, D. (2006). “Sharing good practice: Knowledge in action”. Clinical Governance, 11 (3), 253-61.

Questions?

• Paul Herbert• Health Information Scientist,

Healthcare Improvement Scotland

• Email: paul.herbert1@nhs.net