The social network paradigm and applications in pharmacy

Exploring the use of social network analysis methods in process improvement within healthcare organizations: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Communication breakdowns among healthcare providers have been identified as a significant cause of preventable adverse events, including harm to patients. A large proportion of studies investigating communication in healthcare organizations lack the necessary understanding of social networks to make meaningful improvements. Process Improvement in healthcare (systematic approach of identifying, analyzing, and enhancing workflows) is needed to improve quality and patient safety. This review aimed to characterize the use of SNA methods in Process Improvement within healthcare organizations.

METHODS

Relevant studies were identified through a systematic search of seven databases from inception - October 2022. No limits were placed on study design or language. The reviewers independently charted data from eligible full-text studies using a standardized data abstraction form and resolved discrepancies by consensus. The abstracted information was synthesized quantitatively and narratively.

RESULTS

Upon full-text review, 38 unique articles were included. Most studies were published between 2015 and 2021 (26, 68%). Studies focused primarily on physicians and nursing staff. The majority of identified studies were descriptive and cross-sectional, with 5 studies using longitudinal experimental study designs. SNA studies in healthcare focusing on process improvement spanned three themes: Organizational structure (e.g., hierarchical structures, professional boundaries, geographical dispersion, technology limitations that impact communication and collaboration), team performance (e.g., communication patterns and information flow among providers., and influential actors (e.g., key individuals or roles within healthcare teams who serve as central connectors or influencers in communication and decision-making processes).

CONCLUSIONS

SNA methods can characterize Process Improvement through mapping, quantifying, and visualizing social relations, revealing inefficiencies, which can then be targeted to develop interventions to enhance communication, foster collaboration, and improve patient safety.

Meta-research in pharmacy: Time for a look in the mirror

The volume of the biomedical literature continues to expand at a substantial rate. The research literature surrounding pharmaceutical services is no different. Due in part to events in the recent past, researchers, consumers, funders, and policymakers have raised concerns about the credibility, transparency, and potential waste in the global research enterprise. Meta-research, or research on research, provides a way to examine the efficiency, quality, and potential bias in the overall research ecosystem. The field of meta-research is a relatively new but rapidly growing field that has seen many applications in biomedical research. Applications in pharmacy research, however, are still developing. The goals of this commentary are to introduce pharmacy researchers to the concept of meta-research, discuss several examples of meta-research in pharmacy, and motivate the importance of sustained meta-research efforts in pharmacy.