Abstract

This pilot study investigates how social media interactions between healthcare professionals and medical technology companies influence knowledge spillover and medical technology innovation in Austria. Grounded in social network theory and the knowledge spillover theory of entrepreneurship, the research examines how network closure (trust and cohesion) and network brokerage (access to diverse and novel information) shape innovation dynamics. A cross-sectional survey conducted in 2024 was analyzed using social network measures for healthcare professionals and medical technology companies. Results show that urban networks displayed lower density but greater brokerage opportunities, facilitating radical innovation through diverse knowledge flows, while rural networks relied on cohesive, trust-based ties, supporting incremental innovation through established and familiar knowledge exchange. For healthcare professionals, collaboration within trusted local professional communities enhances existing medical practices and reliability in patient care, but may limit access to novel solutions. For medical technology companies, rural contexts require long-term trust with healthcare professionals and support gradual implementation of innovations. Urban networks, by contrast, displayed lower density but greater brokerage opportunities, giving healthcare professionals quicker access to new knowledge and enabling medical technology companies to introduce more radical innovations through various relationships. These results illustrate that digital platforms do not remove spatial differences but instead support them: urban environments reward openness and cross-boundary exchange, while rural environments reward stability and trust. Aligning innovation strategies with these geographical dynamics is crucial for effective collaboration and improved health outcomes.

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