In healthcare teams on hospital management, psychological safety, information exchange, and innovative performance

Abstract

Background:In healthcare, creativity within multidisciplinary teams is critical for addressing complex challenges, especially in providing care for rare diseases. Psychological safety, characterized by a team climate that encourages interpersonal risk-taking, is believed to enhance team creativity. Knowledge sharing, particularly the exchange of explicit information ("know-what") and tacit expertise ("know-how"), plays a pivotal role in fostering innovation. This study examines the mechanisms linking psychological safety, knowledge sharing, and team creativity within healthcare teams on hospital management.
Methods:The study surveyed multidisciplinary healthcare teams on hospital management providing care to patients with rare diseases. Teams consisted of general practitioners, nurses, therapists, and specialized physicians. Data were collected using a multi-informant approach: healthcare professionals assessed psychological safety and knowledge sharing, while patients evaluated team creative performance. Knowledge sharing was analyzed through two dimensionsinformation and know-howproposed as mediators between psychological safety and creativity. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.
Results:Psychological safety significantly predicted team creative performance, both directly and indirectly through knowledge sharing. Explicit informationsharing mediated the relationship between psychological safety and creativity, enabling teams to pool codified knowledge. Additionally, tacit know-how sharing emerged as a stronger mediator, emphasizing the importance of practical expertise in innovative problem-solving. These findings demonstrate that psychological safety fosters an environment conducive to open communication and collaboration, which enhances creative outcomes.
Conclusion:Psychological safety is a critical enabler of creative performance in healthcare teams on hospital management , primarily by promoting knowledge sharing. Explicit and tacit knowledge sharing each play distinct roles in facilitating innovation. Healthcare organizations should prioritize creating psychologically safe environments to enhance team collaboration and creativity, particularly when addressing the unique challenges associated with rare diseases.