The study employed a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design with a phenomenological research approach to achieve its objectives. In qualitative research, the intentions of the researcher are to explore and understand the meaning individuals or a group ascribe to a social problem or phenomenon of interest (Polit & Beck 2018). These authors also postulated that exploratory research design examines the nature of the phenomenon, its manifestation and associated factors. According to Creswell and Poth (2019), descriptive design is a method that delineates the phenomenon being studied. The researcher explored and described the experiences of the participants on the facilitation of the implementation of AI as discussed by the participants. Polit and Beck (2018) confirm that qualitative researchers must collect data in natural settings to capture a true reflection of events; hence, the data of this study were collected in a specific public hospital within the nursing units of this hospital.

The research process comprised five phases. Phenomenologists are interested in a subjective phenomenon in the belief that critical truths about reality are grounded in people’s lived experiences (Polit & Beck 2018). Twelve in-depth phenomenological individual interviews were conducted and two focus groups (consisting of 13 and 14 participants, respectively) interviews were conducted to collect primary data. All interviews were conducted by the researcher, who had no close or personal relationship with any of the participants and the management of the public hospital.

A postmodern constructivist philosophy guided this study as it resembles the researchers’ worldview, which is that the public health OMs as leaders in public hospitals use specific leadership strategies to lead within these settings and play a critical role in the facilitation of the implementation of AI. This worldview was discovered through spectacles of literature immersion that happened in phase 1 and phase 2 of the study when the researchers were reviewing literature that is related to the phenomenon understudy. A semantic thematic analysis was employed based on descriptive phenomenology to extract and identify key themes from the data.

The research process comprised the following five phases to develop the conceptual framework, namely: (1) exploration of the concept of AI and its application and practices in healthcare systems; (2) exploration of theories, models and frameworks related to leadership strategies that facilitate change; (3) exploration and description of the lived experiences of public health OMs to implement AI, using phenomenology inquiry method; (4) contrasting and evaluation of leadership strategies applied by public health OMs to implement AI and (5) development of the conceptual framework to facilitate the implementation of AI.

A model of Lincoln and Guba (1985) to ensure trustworthiness and rigour was employed, and it comprises credibility, dependability, transferability and confirmability. Credibility was maintained through data triangulation and prolonged engagements. In addition, credibility was ensured by using purposive sampling method to ensure that the participants are appropriate and relevant individuals to address the research question. The researchers collected data utilising individual and focus groups interviewers, and the field notes were recorded during the interviews. More than three months were spent by the researchers on the field collecting data, ensuring prolonged engagement and data immersion. The findings of the study were coded by an independent coder to ensure dependability, who was well versed on qualitative research and leadership as a speciality. A thick description of the study context, methods and findings was provided to afford other researchers with an opportunity to transfer the findings of this study to a similar setting should they anticipate to do so. After data analysis, the researchers returned to the participants to confirm the findings of the study.

Ethical clearance to conduct the study was obtained from the University of Johannesburg Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management Research Ethics Committee (IPPM-2-21-476(D)). An information session was held in a hospital boardroom with the participants after obtaining prior consent from both the department of health and the management of a public hospital where the study was conducted. Written permission for participation and audio-recording was secured from the participants. Confidentiality and anonymity were maintained by using codes when transcribing the data, and each transcript and record of the data were stored in a security-protected file, and only the authors and an independent coder had access to open the files. An independent coder signed a legally binding confidentiality agreement form to maintain the data’s confidentiality. All participants were treated with respect, and their involvement did not cause any harm. Ethical considerations were upheld throughout the research process.

A conceptual framework is a network or plane of concepts that are interlinked to best explain a specific phenomenon (Adom, Hussein & Agyem 2018; DeMarco 2020). The central concept of the conceptual framework was derived from the findings of the phenomenology inquiry, which emerged as positive experiences related to AI, management and leadership processes in AI facilitation and challenges related to AI. These findings suggested that there is a need for a conceptual framework to facilitate the implementation of AI in a public hospital. The survey list of Dickoff, James and Wiedenbach (1986) was adopted to develop a conceptual framework and to classify the central concept. This survey is focussing on six elements of practice theory: the agent, the recipient, the procedure, the context, dynamics and outcome.

The framework focusses on the public health OMs interacting with the Chief Executive Officer of Gauteng Department of Health, Chief Executive Officer of a public hospital, Nursing Service Manager, Deputy Directors and Assistant Managers to facilitate the implementation of AI in a public hospital. The interaction takes place in three phases: relationship phase, working phase and maintenance phase. In the relationship phase, a therapeutic, mutual and ongoing collaborative working relationship is established. In the working phase, the facilitation of the implementation of AI is happening. In the maintenance phase, the benefits of AI are embraced and this is the outcome of this process.

The structure and a process of this conceptual framework are discussed as the context, agent, recipients, dynamic, procedure and outcome. Figure 1 (graphic diagram) presents a conceptual framework to facilitate the implementation of AI in a public hospital that is discussed next.