Implementing complex innovations in fluid multi-stakeholder environments: Experiences of 'telecare'

'Telecare' is the use of information and communication technology to facilitate health and social care delivery to individuals in their own homes. Governments around the world are seeking to introduce telecare partly to help address the challenges posed by an ageing society. Telecare is inherently complex to implement and operate because it involves combination of technological and organisational innovation in an environment of diverse stakeholders. Using research on two telecare schemes in the UK, the paper explores the way project complexity, organisational context and project management approach interacted during the planning and implementation phases. The paper discusses how insights from research in related areas, including medical technology and service sector innovation in general, could help to explain why mainstream telecare delivery has been difficult and draws conclusions on the role of project management in the implementation of innovation. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved