Empowering Healthcare Leadership Through Facilitators of Evidence-Based Management: A Narrative Review and Proposed Conceptual Framework
Keywords:
Evidence-Based Management, EBMgt, healthcare leadership, decision-making, enablers, operational efficiency implementation strategies, healthcare organizations, research utilization, EBMgt Implementation Pentagon ModelAbstract
Decision-making in healthcare leadership often relies on subjective experiences rather than structured, evidence-based approaches, leading to inefficiency, missed opportunities for improvement and ineffective control over rising healthcare costs. This narrative review examined key facilitators that enhance the adoption of Evidence-Based Management (EBMgt) in healthcare, focusing on leadership effectiveness, operational efficiency, and strategic decision-making. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, ABI/INFORM, Google Scholar, Emerald, ResearchGate, Harvard Business Review, ProQuest, and Health Business Elite, covering studies from 2015 to 2025. After applying inclusion criteria, 37 studies were analyzed to identify enablers supporting EBMgt implementation. The most common study designs were quantitative cross-sectional studies (n=11), systematic literature reviews (n=6), and qualitative studies with semi-structured interviews (n=5), with most studies conducted in the United States (n=9), Iran (n=6), and Australia (n=4). The findings showed that leadership commitment, organizational culture, access to high-quality evidence, professional development, stakeholder engagement, and digital solutions are crucial in fostering an EBMgt culture. Healthcare organizations that effectively leverage these facilitators demonstrate improved adaptability, better resource utilization, and more informed leadership decisions. This review introduced the EBMgt Implementation Pentagon Model, a new conceptual framework encompassing five key constructs — Implementation Intentions (II), Knowledge Management (KM), Implementation Science (IS), Organizational Culture (OC), and Stakeholder Engagement (SE) to evaluate EBMgt adoption and increase awareness of its importance. Assessment included four statements per construct, evaluated using a five-point Likert scale. EBMgt adoption was weighed through a structured scoring system, with higher percentages (≥80%) signifying stronger integration, leadership commitment, and organizational alignment, while lower percentages (<40%) indicate minimal or no adoption.
Strengthening EBMgt through research-based evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM), data transparency, managerial training, economic evaluation, cost management, and digital transformation is essential for sustaining evidence-based decision-making. Future research should focus on refining measurement tools, addressing implementation barriers, and assessing long-term outcomes of EBMgt adoption while leveraging health systems science to promote sustainable healthcare systems.
