How Does Social Innovation Cross Borders? Exploring the Diffusion Process of an Alternative Homecare Service in France

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present initial findings from an exploratory case study analyzing the process of emergence and diffusion of a new homecare service in France. In healthcare delivery, innovations aiming to tackle structural aspects of the system can take the form of social innovation. Social innovation is generally defined as a process, rather than an outcome, creating strategies that reconfigure social relations to meet a social goal. Buurtzorg Nederland is an example of such innovation. Launched twelve years ago in the Netherlands by a small team of four, this innovative homecare organization now includes over 10,000 self-managed nurses providing efficient value- and team-based care to patients in their homes, empowering both staff and patients. Today Buurtzorg Nederland has grown and been transposed to other countries, but few studies describe the process of adoption. This paper explores how Buurtzorg has been adapted in France since 2017.JEL Codes: O35, I18, I1, O0