Interorganizational Knowledge Sharing in Teleconsultations

Interorganizational knowledge sharing drives innovation in healthcare. The rapid accumulation of knowledge, high workloads, and life-critical decisions underscore the importance of effective knowledge sharing in medicine. Teleconsultations among physicians present a promising method for facilitating knowledge sharing. However, despite their advantages, physicians underutilize teleconsultations. This study aims to assess requesters' knowledge needs and specialists' knowledge provision. Applying the socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization (SECI) model and insights from 22 interviews, the analysis reveals diverse use scenarios for teleconsultations, each with varying requirements for the exchanged knowledge. Requesters and specialists prioritize different SECI steps, reflecting deviating objectives for interorganizational knowledge sharing. The findings advance the understanding of interorganizational knowledge sharing and offer practical recommendations for tailoring teleconsultations to specific use scenarios.