Individuals who are experienced in implementing the improvements to be spread (or "better ideas") must communicate technical information (i.e., concepts, specific changes, and tips) to potential adopters in the target population. Technical information focuses on the "how to" implementation details of the changes to be spread.
While broad-based communication methods, such as presentations at general meetings, or broad-based publications are useful for building awareness of the improvements, other methods have been shown to be best suited for the transfer of technical knowledge. These include the following:
- Care team or unit-level meetings
- Person-to-person contact (Avorn, 1983)
- Visits to high-performing sites (Szulanski, 2002)
- Groups of individuals with similar jobs and interests who form communities of practice (Brown, 2000; Dixon, 2002)
- Small group conference calls
- Online chat or discussion groups
- Telephone "hotlines" that connect experts with adopters
These communication methods provide an opportunity for adopters to ask questions, explore solutions among colleagues, share learning, and deepen their understanding of the changes they are making.
