Open Space Technology and Transformative Change in a Hospital Setting

Overview

This article arose out of my interest in how Open Space Technology(OST) is applied within healthcare. In this article I speak together with Kenneth Eikeset, Director of the Clinic for Psychiatric Health Care and Addiction of Helse Fonna Hospital and Bernt Netland an internal consultant working in the Clinic. They share their story of how the Clinic achieved a major organizational transformation and the role the large group method — OST played in that process.. It was a journey from disbelief and conflict to a common culture and acceptance of new ways of working initiated by new governmental guidelines and the following mergers of several units to one.

Introduction

Open Space Technology is a large group meeting method developed over 30 years ago, to assist people tackling complex issues that affect diverse stakeholders. Originally developed by Harrison Owen as a conference method typically taking between 2 ½ and 3 days, over the years since its inception it has been applied in many ways all over the world and in all sorts of sectors contributing to organizational transformation and change.

I was curious about the impact OST can have in the healthcare sector and if there were organizations who have used it. Is it possible in a traditionally…