Running head: RESEARCH PROJECT OUTLINE 1
Research Project Outline
Jenna Best Ellis
BUSI 505
Liberty University
RESEARCH PROJECT OUTLINE 2
Research Project Outline
Thesis statement: With the continued advancements in healthcare technology, diffusion of
innovations in necessary to implement in healthcare informatics to improve communications
between physicians and patients which will ultimately improve overall patient care.
I. Introduction
II. Change theories
A. Planned change theory encompasses recognizing why individuals and
organizations act in certain ways and what resources would strengthen or weaken
an action of change (Shirey, 2013)
B. There are three phases of planned change theory: unfreezing, moving and
refreezing (Shirey, 2013).
i. Unfreezing involves getting ready for change by recognizing an
opportunity for improvement.
ii. Moving phase requires a plan of action for implementing change.
iii. Refreezing stage requires nurse leaders to institutionalize changes into
current practices and policies.
C. Diffusion of innovation theory
i. Diffusion is defined as “a social process that occurs among people in
response to learning about an innovation such as a new evidence-based
approach for extending or improving health care (Dearing & Cox, 2018,
p.183-4).”
ii. The diffusion of innovation theory has been assessed in understand how
new ideas are applied in the real world.
RESEARCH PROJECT OUTLINE
3
iii. Innovation involves new ideas, thoughts, and practices and also includes
the adoption of these ideas.
iv. Diffusion includes the sharing of these new innovations and applying them
in real world situations.
D. Stages of change theories
i. There are five stages of change theories: precontemplation, contemplation,
preparation, action and maintenance.
ii. Otherwise known as the transtheoretical model for change, this theory
focuses the stages a person goes through when implementing behavioral
changes (Raihan & Cogburn, 2021).
E. Using change theories
i. Application of change in the field of nursing is essential in promoting
quality patient care (Wagner, 2018).
ii. Often times there is resistance to change so it is imperative that nurse
leaders have a clear understanding of change theories and learn to
constructively address the reasons for resistance (Wagner, 2018).
III. Innovations in healthcare informatics
A. Brain monitoring devices
i. Microsensors and wearable devices have been used to measure brain
activity directly.
ii. These wearable devices can assess sleep pattens, cognitions, gaze analysis
and speech acoustics.
RESEARCH PROJECT OUTLINE
4
iii. These wearable devices have also been used in assessing pain by
interpreting the patients brain activity and reported pain level. It can also
be helpful in assessing the effects of analgesic administration (Byrom,
McCarthy, Schueler, & Muehlhausen, 2018).
B. Remote blood pressure monitoring
i. Remote blood pressure monitoring involves a cuff that is placed at the
wrist that measures a patients blood pressure (Kario, 2020).
ii. These results can be sent to physicians for evaluations in trends and risk
for cardiovascular damage and other organ damage (Kario, 2020).
C. Fall prevention
i. Wearable sensors can be worn around wrist, ankle, or waist in patients to
assess their mobility patterns (Lord & Close, 2018).
ii. These sensors can assess a patient’s ability to move around obstacles and
is helpful in implementing interventions and exercise routines for
preventing falls (Lord & Close, 2018).
D. Endoscopy
i. Wireless capsules have been helpful in transitioning from the traditional
form of endoscopies to utilizing small capsules that a patient swallows that
allows for the physician to capture images through the gastrointestinal
tract.
ii. These wireless capsules have been helpful in indentifying bleeding,
lesions and other abnormalities and can reduce pain, sedation, and air
RESEARCH PROJECT OUTLINE
5
sufflation when compared to the traditional method of endoscopies
(Pogorelov et al., 2019).
IV. Discussion of how diffusion of innovations relates to new innovations in healthcare
technology
V. Conclusion
RESEARCH PROJECT OUTLINE
6
References
Byrom, B., McCarthy, M., Schueler, P., & Muehlhausen, W. (2018). Brain monitoring devices in
neuroscience clinical research: The potential of remote monitoring using sensors,
wearables, and mobile devices. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 104(1), 59-71.
https://doi.org/10.1002/cpt.1077
Cohen, I. G., Gerke, S., & Kramer, D. B. (2020). Ethical and legal implications of remote
monitoring of medical devices. The Milbank Quarterly, 98(4), 1257-1289.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0009.12481
Dearing, J. W., & Cox, J. G. (2018). Diffusion of innovations theory, principles, and practice.
Health Affairs, 37(2), 183-190. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2017.1104
Kario, K. (2020). Management of hypertension in the digital era: Small wearable monitoring
devices for remote blood pressure monitoring. Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. 1979), 76(3),
640-650. https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.14742
Lien, A. S., & Jiang, Y. D. (2017). Integration of diffusion of innovation theory into diabetes
care. Journal of diabetes investigation, 8(3), 259–260. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdi.12568
Lord, S. R., & Close, J. C. T. (2018). New horizons in falls prevention. Age and Ageing, 47(4),
492-498. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afy059
Masterson Creber, R. M., Hickey, K. T., & Maurer, M. S. (2016). Gerontechnologies for older
patients with heart failure: What is the role of smartphones, tablets, and remote
monitoring devices in improving symptom monitoring and self-care management?
Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports, 10(10), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12170-016-
0511-8
RESEARCH PROJECT OUTLINE
7
Pogorelov, K., Suman, S., Azmadi Hussin, F., Saeed Malik, A., Ostroukhova, O., Riegler, M.,
Halvorsen, P., Hooi Ho, S., & Goh, K. (2019). Bleeding detection in wireless capsule
endoscopy videos — color versus texture features. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical
Physics, 20(8), 141-154. https://doi.org/10.1002/acm2.12662
Raihan, N., & Coguburn, M. (2021). Stages of change theory. StatPearls Publishing. Retrieved
from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK556005/
Shirey, M. (2013). Lewin’s theory of planned change as a strategic resource. JONA 43(2), 69-72.
Retrieved from https://topwritershelp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Strategic-
Leadership-Article.pdf
Steiber, A., Alänge, S., Ghosh, S., & Goncalves, D. (2021). Digital transformation of industrial
firms: an innovation diffusion perspective. European Journal of Innovation
Management, 24(3), 799-819. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-01-2020-0018
Sutton, R. (2013). Remote monitoring as a key innovation in the management of cardiac patients
including those with implantable electronic devices. EP Europace, 15(1), i3-i5.
https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/eut108
Wagner, J. (Ed.). (2018). Leadership and Influencing Change in Nursing. Regina, SK: URPress.
Retrieved from: https://ourspace.uregina.ca/handle/1
