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
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•
•
•
•
•
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Outdated information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