1
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Viphonephom P, Kounnavong S, Reinharz D. Decentralization and immunization program in a single-party state: the case of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Trop Med Health 2024; 52:35. [PMID: 38715093 PMCID: PMC11075326 DOI: 10.1186/s41182-024-00601-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), a lower-middle-income country, lags behind other Southeast Asian countries in immunization coverage for children under two years of age. The organization of health services is a key determinant of the functionality of immunization programs. However, this aspect, and in particular its decentralization component of the healthcare system, has never been studied. METHODS A case study in the Lao National Immunization Program was performed using a neo-institutional theory-based conceptual framework, highlighting the structure (rules, laws, resources, etc.) and interpretative schemes (dominant beliefs and ideas) that underlie the state of decentralization of the healthcare system that support the conduct of the immunization program. Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with representative actors from various government levels, external donors, and civil society, in four provinces. Data were complemented with information retrieved from relevant documents. RESULTS The Lao healthcare system has a deconcentrated form of decentralization. It has a largely centralized structure, albeit with certain measures promoting the decentralization of its immunization programs. The structure underlying the state of centralization of immunization services provided is coherent with a shared dominant interpretive scheme. However, the rapid economic, technical, and educational changes affecting the country suggest that the coherence between structure and interpretative schemes is bound to change. CONCLUSION Unprecedented opportunities to access quality higher education and the use of social networks are factors in Lao PDR that could affect the distribution of responsibilities of the different levels of government for public health programs such as the National Immunization Program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phonevilay Viphonephom
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
| | - Sengchanh Kounnavong
- Lao Tropical and Public Health Institute (Lao TPHI), Ministry of Health, Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Daniel Reinharz
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
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2
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DeVito NJ, Morley J, Goldacre B. Barriers and best practices to improving clinical trials transparency at UK public research institutions: A qualitative interview study. Health Policy 2024; 142:104991. [PMID: 38417375 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2024.104991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Since 2017, the UK government has made concerted efforts to ensure the dissemination of clinical trials conducted at public research institutions. This study aims to understand how stakeholders within these institutions responded to these pressures and modified internal policies and processes while identifying best practices and barriers to improved transparency practice. METHODS Research governance and trial management staff from UK public research institutions (i.e., Universities and NHS Trusts) in England, Scotland and Wales participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis, aided by the framework method. RESULTS Between November 2020 and July 2021, 14 individual participants were recruited from 11 different institutions. They worked in research governance, administration, and management. Almost universally, new policies and procedures have been established to ensure investigators are aware of, and supported in, fulfilling their transparency commitments, however challenges remain. Trials of medicinal products, as the most closely regulated research, consequently received the most attention. National professional networks aid in sharing knowledge and best practice within this community. CONCLUSIONS Investment in the institutional governance of transparency is essential to achieving optimal transparency practices. Universities and hospitals share responsibility for ensuring research is performed and reported to regulatory standards. Facing political pressure, public research institutions in the UK have made efforts to improve their transparency practice which can provide key insights for similar efforts elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J DeVito
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
| | - Jessica Morley
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ben Goldacre
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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3
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Mohamed Noor NM, Ibrahim MI, Hairon SM, Mohd Zain M, Satiman MSN. Validation and Translation of the Relational Aspect of Care Questionnaire into the Malay Language (RAC-QM) to Evaluate the Compassionate Care Level of Healthcare Workers from the Patient's Perspective. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:13486. [PMID: 36294066 PMCID: PMC9602943 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Compassionate care has been increasingly highlighted in the past few decades worldwide, including in Malaysia. Despite acknowledging its importance, Malaysia still lacks a validated tool that can be used to assess the level of compassionate care from the patient's perspective. Therefore, this study aims to validate and translate the Relational Aspect of Care Questionnaire (RAC-Q) into the Malay language. METHODS Permission to use and translate the original RAC-Q into the Malay language was obtained. The RAC-Q was then translated into the Malay language following the 10 steps proposed for the translation of a patient-reported outcome questionnaire. A pretest was conducted based on 30 inpatients to assess the appropriateness and clarity of the finalized translated questionnaire. A cross-sectional study was performed based on 138 inpatients from six adult wards of a teaching hospital so as to validate the translated questionnaire. The data were analyzed using R software version 4.1.3 (R Core Team, Vienna, Austria, 2020). The results were presented descriptively as numbers and percentages or means and standard deviations. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed using robust estimators. RESULTS The analysis showed that the measurement model of the RAC-Q Malay version (RAC-QM) fits well based on several fit indices: a standardized factor loading range from 0.40 to 0.73, comparative fit index (CFI) of 0.917, Tucker-Lewis fit index (TLI) of 0.904, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) of 0.06, and a standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) of 0.073. It has good reliability, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.857 and a composite ratio of 0.857. CONCLUSION The RAC-QM demonstrated good psychometric properties and is valid and reliable based on the confirmatory analysis, and it can thus be used as a tool for evaluating the level of compassionate care in Malaysia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noorhidayu Monyati Mohamed Noor
- Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Ismail Ibrahim
- Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Suhaily Mohd Hairon
- Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Maizun Mohd Zain
- Public Health Unit, Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
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4
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Venkatraman S, Sundarraj RP, Seethamraju R. Exploring health-analytics adoption in indian private healthcare organizations: An institutional-theoretic perspective. INFORMATION AND ORGANIZATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.infoandorg.2022.100430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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5
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Mureyi D. Overcoming institutionalised barriers to digital health systems: an autoethnographic case study of the judicialization of a digital health tool. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2022; 22:26. [PMID: 35101019 PMCID: PMC8805250 DOI: 10.1186/s12911-022-01769-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The deployment of digital health systems may be impeded by barriers that are, or are linked to underlying enduring institutions. Attempting to challenge the barriers without addressing the underpinning institution may be ineffective. This study reflects on ways actors may surmount institutionalised barriers to the uptake of digital tools in health systems. METHODS I applied Institutional theory concepts to an autoethnographic case study of efforts to introduce a digital tool to provide citizens with medicines information. RESULTS The tool's uptake was impeded because of state regulators' institutionalised interpretation of pharmaceutical advertising laws, which rendered the tool illegal. I, along with allies beyond the health sector, successfully challenged the regulators' institutionalised interpretation of pharmaceutical advertising laws through various actions. These actions included: framing the tool as legal and constitutional, litigation, and redefining these concepts: 'advertising', 'health institution', and the role of regulatory bodies vis a vis innovation. CONCLUSION After identifying a barrier as being institutionalised or linked to an institution, actors might challenge such barriers by engaging in institutional work; i.e. deliberate efforts to challenge the relevant institution (e.g. a law, norm or shared belief). Institutional work may require the actions of multiple actors within and beyond the health sector, including judicial actors. Such cross-sectoral alliances are efficacious because they provide institutional workers with a broader range of strategies, framings, concepts and forums with which to challenge institutionalised barriers. However, actors beyond the health system (e.g. the judiciary) must be inquisitive about the potential implications of the digital health interventions they champion. This case justifies recent calls for more deliberate explorations within global health scholarships and practice, of synergies between law and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dudzai Mureyi
- Department of Biomedical Informatics and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, The University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
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6
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Church DL, Naugler C. Using a systematic approach to strategic innovation in laboratory medicine to bring about change. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2022; 59:178-202. [DOI: 10.1080/10408363.2021.1997899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Deirdre L. Church
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Departments of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Christopher Naugler
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Departments of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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7
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Liu N, Chen Z, Bao G. Unpacking the red packets: institution and informal payments in healthcare in China. THE EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS : HEPAC : HEALTH ECONOMICS IN PREVENTION AND CARE 2021; 22:1183-1194. [PMID: 34100172 DOI: 10.1007/s10198-021-01330-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Informal cash payments from patient to healthcare providers for services provided by the healthcare system have attracted increasing scholarly interest. However, the root and mechanism of informal payments are not well understood. This paper contributes to the literature by positing informal payments as informal institutions. We use a nationally representative longitudinal survey in 28 provinces in China to explore the root of informal payments. Our empirical findings suggest that patients' informal payments for healthcare services may originate from information acquisition and processing, failure of government and market in allocating healthcare resources, and disparities in utilization. Further, this informal institution could be changed by the self-reinforcement of individual patients. These findings suggest that policies to facilitate transparency and to remove institutional barriers, such as the introduction of market competition, may reduce the incidence of informal payments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Liu
- School of Management, Lanzhou University, #222 Tianshui South Rd, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
- China Research Center for Government Performance Management, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Zhuo Chen
- College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, USA
- School of Economics, University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China
| | - Guoxian Bao
- School of Management, Lanzhou University, #222 Tianshui South Rd, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- China Research Center for Government Performance Management, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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Ramadi KB, Srinivasan SS. Pre-emptive Innovation Infrastructure for Medical Emergencies: Accelerating Healthcare Innovation in the Wake of a Global Pandemic. Front Digit Health 2021; 3:648520. [PMID: 34713119 PMCID: PMC8522029 DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2021.648520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Healthcare innovation is impeded by high costs, the need for diverse skillsets, and complex regulatory processes. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical gaps in the current framework, especially those lying at the boundary between cutting-edge academic research and industry-scale manufacturing and production. While many resource-rich geographies were equipped with the required expertise to solve challenges posed by the pandemic, mechanisms to unite the appropriate institutions and scale up, fund, and mobilize solutions at a time-scale relevant to the emergency were lacking. We characterize the orthogonal spatial and temporal axes that dictate innovation. Improving on their limitations, we propose a “pre-emptive innovation infrastructure” incorporating in-house hospital innovation teams, consortia-based assembly of expertise, and novel funding mechanisms to combat future emergencies. By leveraging the strengths of academic, medical, government, and industrial institutions, this framework could improve ongoing innovation and supercharge the infrastructure for healthcare emergencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalil B Ramadi
- Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.,Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, NY, United States.,Hacking Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States.,Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Shriya S Srinivasan
- Hacking Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States.,Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Society of Fellows, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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9
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Mæhle PM, Smeland S. Implementing cancer patient pathways in Scandinavia how structuring might affect the acceptance of a politically imposed reform. Health Policy 2021; 125:1340-1350. [PMID: 34493379 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Through political decisions all three Scandinavian countries implemented national reforms in cancer care introducing cancer patient pathways. Though resistance from the professional community is common to top-down initiatives, we recognized positive receptions of this reform in all three countries and professionals immediately contributed in implementing the core measures. The implementation of a similar reform in three countries with a similar health care system created a unique opportunity to look for shared characteristics. Combining analytical framework of institutional theory and research on policy implementation, we identified common patterns of structuring of the initial implementation: The hierarchical processes were combined with supplementary structures located both within and outside the formal management hierarchy. Some had a permanent character while others were more project-like or even resembled social movements. These hybrid structures made it possible for actors from high up in the hierarchy to communicate directly to actors at the operational hospital level. Across the cases, we also identified structural components acting together with the traditional command-control; negotiation, consensus and counseling. However, variations in the presence of these did not seem to have significant impact on processes causing decisions and acceptance. These variations may, however, influence the long-term practice and outcome of cancer-care pathway-reform. Knowledge from our study should be considered when orchestrating future health care reforms and especially top-down politically initiated reforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Per Magnus Mæhle
- Department of Health Management an Economy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Norway.
| | - Sigbjørn Smeland
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo and Division of Cancer Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Norway
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10
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Lived Experiences of Federally Qualified Health Center Board Members During a Period of Rapid Change in New York City (2010-2020). J Ambul Care Manage 2021; 44:281-292. [PMID: 34310485 DOI: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) provide primary care services in underserved areas and are governed by patient-majority boards. A phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experiences of board members as they addressed the need for fundamental change to meet the demands of a rapidly changing, highly competitive health care market (2010-2020). Findings were that board members rely upon personal experience and monthly board meetings to be alerted to change that affects health care delivery. They may need additional training to adjust governance and organizational performance to address the new patient consumerism, market conditions, and competition from other providers.
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11
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Maehle PM, Hajdarevic S, Håland E, Aarhus R, Smeland S, Mørk BE. Exploring the triggering process of a cancer care reform in three Scandinavian countries. Int J Health Plann Manage 2021; 36:2231-2247. [PMID: 34291498 DOI: 10.1002/hpm.3278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer incidence is increasing, and cancer is a leading cause of death in the Scandinavian countries, and at the same time more efficient but very expensive new treatment options are available. Based on the increasing demand, high expectations and limited resources, crises in public legitimacy of cancer care evolved in the three Scandinavian countries. Similar cancer care reforms were introduced in the period 2007-2015 to address the crisis. In this article we explore processes triggering these reforms in countries with similar and well-developed health care systems. The common objective was the need to reduce time from referral to start treatment, and the tool introduced to accomplish this was integrated care pathways for cancer diagnosis, that is Cancer Patient Pathways. This study investigates the process by drawing on interviews with key actors and public documents. We identified three main logics in play; the economic-administrative, the medical and the patient-related logic and explored how institutional entrepreneurs skillfully aligned these logics. The article contributes by describing the triggering processes on politically initiated similar reforms in the three countries studied and also contributes to a better understanding on the orchestrating of politically initiated health care reforms with the intention to change medical practice in hospitals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Per Magnus Maehle
- Department of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway.,Division of Cancer Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Norway
| | - Senada Hajdarevic
- Department of Nursing and Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Family Medicine, University of Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Family Medicine, University of Umeå, Sweden
| | - Erna Håland
- Department of Education and Lifelong Learning, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Rikke Aarhus
- Diagnostic Centre, University Research Clinic for Innovative Patient Pathways, Silkeborg Regional Hospital, Denmark
| | - Sigbjørn Smeland
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Norway.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bjørn Erik Mørk
- Department of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Norwegian Business School, Oslo, Norway.,Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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Salman AA, Kopp BJ, Thomas JE, Ring D, Fatehi A. What Are the Priming and Ceiling Effects of One Experience Measure on Another? J Patient Exp 2020; 7:1755-1759. [PMID: 33457640 PMCID: PMC7786675 DOI: 10.1177/2374373520951670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Patient-reported experience measures have notable ceiling effects which can hinder efforts to learn and improve. This study tested whether an iterative (Guttman-style) satisfaction questionnaire combined with instructions intended to give people agency to critique us primes responses on an ordinal scale and reduces ceiling effects. Among the 161 subjects randomly assigned to complete an iterative satisfaction questionnaire before or after an ordinal scale, there was no difference in mean satisfaction (no priming). The Guttman scale was more normally distributed and had slightly less ceiling effect when compared to the ordinal scale. Iterative satisfaction scales partially mitigate ceiling effects. The absence of priming suggests that attempts to encourage agency and reflection have limited ability to reduce ceiling effects, and alternative approaches should be tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aresh Al Salman
- Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Benjamin J Kopp
- Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jacob E Thomas
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - David Ring
- Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Amirreza Fatehi
- Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA
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13
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Petit Dit Dariel O, Cristofalo P. Improving patient safety in two French hospitals: why teamwork training is not enough. J Health Organ Manag 2020; ahead-of-print. [PMID: 32737962 DOI: 10.1108/jhom-02-2020-0045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The persistent challenges that healthcare organizations face as they strive to keep patients safe attests to a need for continued attention. To contribute to better understanding the issues currently defying patient safety initiatives, this paper reports on a study examining the aftermath of implementing a national team training program in two hospital units in France. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH Data were drawn from a longitudinal qualitative study analyzing the implementation of a French patient safety program aimed at improving teamwork in hospitals. Data collection took place over a four-year period (2015-2019) in two urban hospitals in France and included multiple interviews with 31 participants and 150 h of observations. FINDINGS Despite explicit efforts to improve inter-professional teamwork, three main obstacles interfered with healthcare professionals' attempts at safeguarding patients: perspectival variations in what constituted "patient safety", a paradoxical injunction to do more with less and conflicting organizational priorities. ORIGINALITY/VALUE This paper exposes patient safety as misleadingly consensual and identifies a lack of alignment between stakeholders in the complex system that is a hospital. This ultimately interferes with patient safety objectives and highlights that even well-equipped, frontline actors cannot achieve long-term results without more systemic organizational changes.
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14
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Steenkamer B, Drewes H, Putters K, van Oers H, Baan C. Reorganizing and integrating public health, health care, social care and wider public services: a theory-based framework for collaborative adaptive health networks to achieve the triple aim. J Health Serv Res Policy 2020; 25:187-201. [PMID: 32178546 DOI: 10.1177/1355819620907359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Population health management (PHM) refers to large-scale transformation efforts by collaborative adaptive health networks that reorganize and integrate services across public health, health care, social care and wider public services in order to improve population health and quality of care while at the same time reducing cost growth. However, a theory-based framework that can guide place-based approaches towards a comprehensive understanding of how and why strategies contribute to the development of PHM is lacking, and this review aims to contribute to closing this gap by identifying the key components considered to be key to successful PHM development. METHODS We carried out a scoping realist review to identify configurations of strategies (S), their outcomes (O), and the contextual factors (C) and mechanisms (M) that explain how and why these outcomes were achieved. We extracted theories put forward in included studies and that underpinned the formulated strategy-context-mechanism-outcome (SCMO) configurations. Iterative axial coding of the SCMOs and the theories that underpin these configurations revealed PHM themes. RESULTS Forty-one studies were included. Eight components were identified: social forces, resources, finance, relations, regulations, market, leadership, and accountability. Each component consists of three or more subcomponents, providing insight into (1) the (sub)component-specific strategies that accelerate PHM development, (2) the necessary contextual factors and mechanisms for these strategies to be successful and (3) the extracted theories that underlie the (sub)component-specific SCMO configurations. These theories originate from a wide variety of scientific disciplines. We bring these (sub)components together into what we call the Collabroative Adaptive Health Network (CAHN) framework. CONCLUSIONS This review presents the strategies that are required for the successful development of PHM. Future research should study the applicability of the CAHN framework in practice to refine and enrich identified relationships and identify PHM guiding principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betty Steenkamer
- Researcher, Tranzo, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Tilburg University, the Netherlands
| | - Hanneke Drewes
- Senior Researcher, Department of Quality of Care and Health Economics, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the Netherlands
| | - Kim Putters
- Professor, Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, Erasmus University, the Netherlands.,Director, The Netherlands Institute for Social Research, the Netherlands
| | - Hans van Oers
- Professor, Tranzo, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Tilburg University, the Netherlands.,Chief Science Officer, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the Netherlands
| | - Caroline Baan
- Professor, Tranzo, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Tilburg University, the Netherlands.,Chief Science Officer, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the Netherlands
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15
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Jones L, Fraser A, Stewart E. Exploring the neglected and hidden dimensions of large-scale healthcare change. SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH & ILLNESS 2019; 41:1221-1235. [PMID: 31099047 DOI: 10.1111/1467-9566.12923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Forms of large-scale change, such as the regiona l re-distribution of clinical services, are an enduring reform orthodoxy in health systems of high-income countries. The topic is of relevance and importance to medical sociology because of the way that large-scale change significantly disrupts and transforms therapeutic landscapes, relationships and practices. In this paper we review the literature on large-scale change. We find that the literature is dominated by competing forms of knowledge, such as health services research, and show how sociology can contribute new and critical perspectives and insights on what is for many people a troubling issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorelei Jones
- School of Health Sciences, University of Bangor, Bangor, UK
| | - Alec Fraser
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Ellen Stewart
- Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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16
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Shearn K, Piercy H, Allmark P, Hirst J. Clarity, conviction and coherence supports buy-in to positive youth sexual health services: focused results from a realist evaluation. BMC Health Serv Res 2019; 19:503. [PMID: 31324158 PMCID: PMC6642563 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-019-4298-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is a call for sexual health services to support young people achieve sexual wellbeing in addition to treating or preventing sexual ill-health. Progress towards realising this ambition is limited. This study aimed to contribute theory and evidence explaining key processes to support local delivery of positive youth sexual health services. Methods A realist evaluation was conducted, comprising four research cycles, with a total of 161 data sources, primarily from the UK. Theory was refined iteratively using existing substantive theories, secondary and primary research data (including interviews, documentary analysis, feedback workshops and a literature search of secondary case studies). A novel explanatory framework for articulating the theories was utilised. Results The results focused on local level buy-in to positive services. Positive services were initiated when influential teams had clarity that positive services should acknowledge youth sexuality, support young people’s holistic sexual wellbeing and involve users in design and delivery of services, and conviction that this was the best or right way to proceed. How positive services were operationalised differed according to whether the emphasis was placed on meeting service objectives or supporting young people to flourish. Teams were able to effect change in local services by improving coherence between a positive approach and existing processes and practices. For example, that a) users were involved in decision making, b) multi-disciplinary professional working was genuinely integrated, and c) evidence of positive services’ impact was gathered from a breadth of sources. New services were fragile. Progress was frequently stymied due to a lack of shared understanding and limited compatibility between characteristics of a positive approach and the wider cultural and structural systems including medical hegemony and narrow accountability frameworks. These challenges were exacerbated by funding cuts. Conclusions This study offers clarity on how positive youth sexual health services may be defined. It also articulates theory explaining how dissonance, at various levels, between positive models of sexual health service delivery and established cultural and structural systems may restrict their successful inception. Future policy and practice initiatives should be theoretically informed and address barriers at societal, organisational and interpersonal levels to stimulate change. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-019-4298-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Shearn
- Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, Sheffield Hallam University, 32 Collegiate Crescent, Sheffield, S10 2BA, England.
| | - Hilary Piercy
- Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, Sheffield Hallam University, 32 Collegiate Crescent, Sheffield, S10 2BA, England
| | - Peter Allmark
- Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, Sheffield Hallam University, 32 Collegiate Crescent, Sheffield, S10 2BA, England
| | - Julia Hirst
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Politics, Sheffield Hallam University, HC 2.03a, Heart of the Campus Building, Collegiate Crescent Campus, Sheffield, S10 2BQ, England
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Harnett PJ, Kennelly S, Williams P. A 10 Step Framework to Implement Integrated Care for Older Persons. AGEING INTERNATIONAL 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s12126-019-09349-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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18
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Fulop NJ, Ramsay AIG, Hunter RM, McKevitt C, Perry C, Turner SJ, Boaden R, Papachristou I, Rudd AG, Tyrrell PJ, Wolfe CDA, Morris S. Evaluation of reconfigurations of acute stroke services in different regions of England and lessons for implementation: a mixed-methods study. HEALTH SERVICES AND DELIVERY RESEARCH 2019. [DOI: 10.3310/hsdr07070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Centralising acute stroke services is an example of major system change (MSC). ‘Hub and spoke’ systems, consisting of a reduced number of services providing acute stroke care over the first 72 hours following a stroke (hubs), with a larger number of services providing care beyond this phase (spokes), have been proposed to improve care and outcomes.
Objective
To use formative evaluation methods to analyse reconfigurations of acute stroke services in different regions of England and to identify lessons that will help to guide future reconfigurations, by studying the following contrasting cases: (1) London (implemented 2010) – all patients eligible for Hyperacute Stroke Units (HASUs); patients admitted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; (2) Greater Manchester A (GMA) (2010) – only patients presenting within 4 hours are eligible for HASU treatment; one HASU operated 24/7, two operated from 07.00 to 19.00, Monday to Friday; (3) Greater Manchester B (GMB) (2015) – all patients eligible for HASU treatment (as in London); one HASU operated 24/7, two operated with admission extended to the hours of 07.00–23.00, Monday to Sunday; and (4) Midlands and East of England – planned 2012/13, but not implemented.
Design
Impact was studied through a controlled before-and-after design, analysing clinical outcomes, clinical interventions and cost-effectiveness. The development, implementation and sustainability of changes were studied through qualitative case studies, documentation analysis (n = 1091), stakeholder interviews (n = 325) and non-participant observations (n = 92; ≈210 hours). Theory-based framework was used to link qualitative findings on process of change with quantitative outcomes.
Results
Impact – the London centralisation performed significantly better than the rest of England (RoE) in terms of mortality [–1.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI) –2.1% to –0.1%], resulting in an estimated additional 96 lives saved per year beyond reductions observed in the RoE, length of stay (LOS) (–1.4 days, 95% –2.3 to –0.5 days) and delivering effective clinical interventions [e.g. arrival at a Stroke Unit (SU) within 4 hours of ‘clock start’ (when clock start refers to arrival at hospital for strokes occurring outside hospital or the appearance of symptoms for patients who are already in-patients at the time of stroke): London = 66.3% (95% CI 65.6% to 67.1%); comparator = 54.4% (95% CI 53.6% to 55.1%)]. Performance was sustained over 6 years. GMA performed significantly better than the RoE on LOS (–2.0 days, 95% CI –2.8 to –1.2 days) only. GMB (where 86% of patients were treated in HASU) performed significantly better than the RoE on LOS (–1.5 days, 95% CI –2.5 to –0.4 days) and clinical interventions [e.g. SU within 4 hours: GMB = 79.1% (95% CI 77.9% to 80.4%); comparator = 53.4% (95% CI 53.0% to 53.7%)] but not on mortality (–1.3%, 95% CI –2.7% to 0.01%; p = 0.05, accounting for reductions observed in RoE); however, there was a significant effect when examining GMB HASUs only (–1.8%, 95% CI –3.4% to –0.2%), resulting in an estimated additional 68 lives saved per year. All centralisations except GMB were cost-effective at 10 years, with a higher net monetary benefit than the RoE at a willingness to pay for a quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) of £20,000–30,000. Per 1000 patients at 10 years, London resulted in an additional 58 QALYs, GMA resulted in an additional 18 QALYs and GMB resulted in an additional 6 QALYs at costs of £1,014,363, –£470,848 and £719,948, respectively. GMB was cost-effective at 90 days. Despite concerns about the potential impact of increased travel times, patients and carers reported good experiences of centralised services; this relied on clear information at every stage. Planning change – combining top-down authority and bottom-up clinical leadership was important in co-ordinating multiple stakeholders to agree service models and overcome resistance. Implementation – minimising phases of change, use of data, service standards linked to financial incentives and active facilitation of changes by stroke networks was important. The 2013 reforms of the English NHS removed sources of top-down authority and facilitative capacity, preventing centralisation (Midlands and East of England) and delaying implementation (GMB). Greater Manchester’s Operational Delivery Network, developed to provide alternative network facilitation, and London’s continued use of standards suggested important facilitators of centralisation in a post-reform context.
Limitations
The main limitation of our quantitative analysis was that we were unable to control for stroke severity. In addition, findings may not apply to non-urban settings. Data on patients’ quality of life were unavailable nationally, clinical interventions measured changed over time and national participation in audits varied. Some qualitative analyses were retrospective, potentially influencing participant views.
Conclusions
Centralising acute stroke services can improve clinical outcomes and care provision. Factors related to the service model implemented, how change is implemented and the context in which it is implemented are influential in improvement. We recommend further analysis of how different types of leadership contribute to MSC, patient and carer experience during the implementation of change, the impact of change on further clinical outcomes (disability and QoL) and influence of severity of stroke on clinical outcomes. Finally, our findings should be assessed in relation to MSC implemented in other health-care specialties.
Funding
The National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi J Fulop
- Department of Applied Health Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Angus IG Ramsay
- Department of Applied Health Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rachael M Hunter
- Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Christopher McKevitt
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Population Health & Environmental Sciences Research, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Catherine Perry
- Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Simon J Turner
- Centre for Primary Care, Division of Population Health, Health Services Research and Primary Care, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Ruth Boaden
- Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | - Anthony G Rudd
- Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, UK
| | - Pippa J Tyrrell
- Stroke and Vascular Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Salford, UK
| | - Charles DA Wolfe
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Population Health & Environmental Sciences Research, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Stephen Morris
- Department of Applied Health Research, University College London, London, UK
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Munar W, Wahid SS, Curry L. Characterizing performance improvement in primary care systems in Mesoamerica: A realist evaluation protocol. Gates Open Res 2018. [DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.12782.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background. Evaluations of performance measurement and management interventions in public, primary care delivery systems of low- and middle-income countries are scarce. In such contexts, few studies to date have focused on characterizing how, why and under what contextual conditions do such complex, multifaceted arrangements lead to intended and unintended consequences for the healthcare workforce, the healthcare organizations involved, and the communities that are served. Methods. Case-study design with purposeful outlier sampling of high-performing primary care delivery systems in El Salvador and Honduras, as part of the Salud Mesoamerica Initiative. Case study design is suitable for characterizing individual, interpersonal and collective mechanisms of change in complex adaptive systems. The protocol design includes literature review, document review, non-participant observation, and qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews. Data analysis will use inductive and deductive approaches to identify causal patterns organized as ‘context-mechanism-outcome’ configurations. Findings will be triangulated with existing secondary data sources collected including country-specific performance measurement data, impact, and process evaluations conducted by the Salud Mesoamerica Initiative. Discussion. This realist evaluation protocol aims to characterize how, why and under what conditions do performance measurement and management arrangements contribute to the improvement of primary care system performance in two low-income countries.
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Melder A, Burns P, Mcloughlin I, Teede H. Examining 'institutional entrepreneurship' in healthcare redesign and improvement through comparative case study research: a study protocol. BMJ Open 2018; 8:e020807. [PMID: 30082347 PMCID: PMC6078238 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Healthcare service redesign and improvement has become an important activity that health system leaders and clinicians realise must be nurtured and mastered, if the capacity issues that constrain healthcare delivery are to be solved. However, little is known about the critical success factors that are essential for sustaining and scaling up improvement initiatives. This situation limits the impact of these initiatives and undermines the general standing of redesign and improvement activity within healthcare systems. The conduct of the doctoral research detailed in this study protocol will be nested within a broader parent study that seeks to address this problem by drawing on the theory of 'institutional entrepreneurship'. The doctoral research will apply this idea to understanding the capacities and capabilities required at the organisation level to bring about transformational change in healthcare services. METHODS AND ANALYSIS The parent study is predominantly qualitative, is multilevel in nature and has been codesigned with five partner healthcare organisations. The focus is a sector-wide attempt in an Australian state jurisdiction to transfer new redesign and improvement knowledge into the public healthcare system. The doctoral research will focus on the implementation of the sector-wide approach in one healthcare service in the jurisdiction. This research involves interviews with project team members and stakeholders involved in two improvement initiatives undertaken by the health service. It will involve interviews with redesign and improvement leaders and senior managers responsible for the overall health service improvement approach. The methods will also include immersive fieldwork, interviews and focus groups. Appropriate methods for coding and thematic extraction will be applied to the qualitative data. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethical approval has been granted by the health service and Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee. Dissemination will be facilitated via academic publication, industry reports and workshops and dissemination events as part of the broader project.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Melder
- Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, Monash Univeristy, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Centre For Clinical Effectiveness, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Prue Burns
- Monash Business School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ian Mcloughlin
- Department of Management, Monash Business School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Helena Teede
- Endocrinology and Diabetes Units, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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21
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Turner A, Mulla A, Booth A, Aldridge S, Stevens S, Begum M, Malik A. The international knowledge base for new care models relevant to primary care-led integrated models: a realist synthesis. HEALTH SERVICES AND DELIVERY RESEARCH 2018. [PMID: 29972636 DOI: 10.3310/hsdr06250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundThe Multispecialty Community Provider (MCP) model was introduced to the NHS as a primary care-led, community-based integrated care model to provide better quality, experience and value for local populations.ObjectivesThe three main objectives were to (1) articulate the underlying programme theories for the MCP model of care; (2) identify sources of theoretical, empirical and practice evidence to test the programme theories; and (3) explain how mechanisms used in different contexts contribute to outcomes and process variables.DesignThere were three main phases: (1) identification of programme theories from logic models of MCP vanguards, prioritising key theories for investigation; (2) appraisal, extraction and analysis of evidence against a best-fit framework; and (3) realist reviews of prioritised theory components and maps of remaining theory components.Main outcome measuresThe quadruple aim outcomes addressed population health, cost-effectiveness, patient experience and staff experience.Data sourcesSearches of electronic databases with forward- and backward-citation tracking, identifying research-based evidence and practice-derived evidence.Review methodsA realist synthesis was used to identify, test and refine the following programme theory components: (1) community-based, co-ordinated care is more accessible; (2) place-based contracting and payment systems incentivise shared accountability; and (3) fostering relational behaviours builds resilience within communities.ResultsDelivery of a MCP model requires professional and service user engagement, which is dependent on building trust and empowerment. These are generated if values and incentives for new ways of working are aligned and there are opportunities for training and development. Together, these can facilitate accountability at the individual, community and system levels. The evidence base relating to these theory components was, for the most part, limited by initiatives that are relatively new or not formally evaluated. Support for the programme theory components varies, with moderate support for enhanced primary care and community involvement in care, and relatively weak support for new contracting models.Strengths and limitationsThe project benefited from a close relationship with national and local MCP leads, reflecting the value of the proximity of the research team to decision-makers. Our use of logic models to identify theories of change could present a relatively static position for what is a dynamic programme of change.ConclusionsMultispecialty Community Providers can be described as complex adaptive systems (CASs) and, as such, connectivity, feedback loops, system learning and adaptation of CASs play a critical role in their design. Implementation can be further reinforced by paying attention to contextual factors that influence behaviour change, in order to support more integrated working.Future workA set of evidence-derived ‘key ingredients’ has been compiled to inform the design and delivery of future iterations of population health-based models of care. Suggested priorities for future research include the impact of enhanced primary care on the workforce, the effects of longer-term contracts on sustainability and capacity, the conditions needed for successful continuous improvement and learning, the role of carers in patient empowerment and how community participation might contribute to community resilience.Study registrationThis study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42016039552.FundingThe National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Turner
- The Strategy Unit, NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit, West Bromwich, UK
| | - Abeda Mulla
- The Strategy Unit, NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit, West Bromwich, UK
| | - Andrew Booth
- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Shiona Aldridge
- The Strategy Unit, NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit, West Bromwich, UK
| | - Sharon Stevens
- The Strategy Unit, NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit, West Bromwich, UK
| | - Mahmoda Begum
- The Strategy Unit, NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit, West Bromwich, UK
| | - Anam Malik
- The Strategy Unit, NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit, West Bromwich, UK
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A realist evaluation of value-based care delivery in home care: The influence of actors, autonomy and accountability. Soc Sci Med 2018; 206:100-109. [PMID: 29727779 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Revised: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The increasing demand for home care is occurring in tandem with the need for governments to contain health care costs, maximize appropriate resource utilization and respond to patient preferences for where they receive care. We describe the evaluation of the Integrated Client Care Project (ICCP), a government funded project designed to improve value for outcomes for patients referred to community wound care services in Ontario, Canada. We applied a realist evaluation methodology in order to unpack the influences of contextual and mechanistic choices on the intended outcomes of the ICCP implementation. We collected data through ethnographic methods including 36 months of field observation, 46 key informant interviews and contemporaneous document analysis. The findings presented here highlight how theoretical mechanisms were negatively impacted by strong contextual patterns and weak implementation which led to underwhelming outcomes. Autonomy of the participant organizations, lack of power within the implementation team to drive change, opacity of the goals of the program, and disregard for the impact of complex historical relations within the home care sector compounded to undermine the intended outcome.
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Munar W, Wahid SS, Curry L. Characterizing performance improvement in primary care systems in Mesoamerica: A realist evaluation protocol. Gates Open Res 2018; 2:1. [PMID: 29431181 PMCID: PMC5801599 DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.12782.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background. Improving performance of primary care systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) may be a necessary condition for achievement of universal health coverage in the age of Sustainable Development Goals. The Salud Mesoamerica Initiative (SMI), a large-scale, multi-country program that uses supply-side financial incentives directed at the central-level of governments, and continuous, external evaluation of public, health sector performance to induce improvements in primary care performance in eight LMICs. This study protocol seeks to explain whether and how these interventions generate program effects in El Salvador and Honduras. Methods. This study presents the protocol for a study that uses a realist evaluation approach to develop a preliminary program theory that hypothesizes the interactions between context, interventions and the mechanisms that trigger outcomes. The program theory was completed through a scoping review of relevant empirical, peer-reviewed and grey literature; a sense-making workshop with program stakeholders; and content analysis of key SMI documents. The study will use a multiple case-study design with embedded units with contrasting cases. We define as a case the two primary care systems of Honduras and El Salvador, each with different context characteristics. Data will be collected through in-depth interviews with program actors and stakeholders, documentary review, and non-participatory observation. Data analysis will use inductive and deductive approaches to identify causal patterns organized as 'context, mechanism, outcome' configurations. The findings will be triangulated with existing secondary, qualitative and quantitative data sources, and contrasted against relevant theoretical literature. The study will end with a refined program theory. Findings will be published following the guidelines generated by the Realist and Meta-narrative Evidence Syntheses study (RAMESES II). This study will be performed contemporaneously with SMI's mid-term stage of implementation. Of the methods described, the preliminary program theory has been completed. Data collection, analysis and synthesis remain to be completed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Munar
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Syed S. Wahid
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Leslie Curry
- Department of Health Policy and Management , Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06520-8034, USA
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Smith J, Cambers W. Using an electronic assessment system for nursing students on placements. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 26:1192-1196. [PMID: 29168946 DOI: 10.12968/bjon.2017.26.21.1192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Electronic assessment is gaining popularity in clinically based elements of pre-registration nurse education. In this study, the authors explored student nurse and mentor experiences during transition from a paper to an electronic system. Mixed research methods used included survey questionnaires and focus groups. Student nurses and their mentors (both n=5) discussed and rated their confidence and skills in information technology and their experience of an electronic assessment document before and after two successive clinical placements. Students' self-reported confidence increased after both placements; mentors' confidence fell after the first placement. Students reported the fewest needs for additional support, while mentors expressed anxieties about system navigation and time required. The main barrier was lack of access to computers connected to the internet in the practice environment. Nevertheless, students and mentors were receptive to the change. Training and support was seen as essential. Serious challenges in up-scaling this system for complete student cohorts lie in wait if computer availability is not addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Smith
- Formerly Practice Education Facilitator, Dunfermline and West Fife, NHS Fife; seconded to Nurse Lecturer, Abertay University, Dundee, now Lecturer, University of Dundee
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Sheard L, Marsh C, O'Hara J, Armitage G, Wright J, Lawton R. The Patient Feedback Response Framework - Understanding why UK hospital staff find it difficult to make improvements based on patient feedback: A qualitative study. Soc Sci Med 2017; 178:19-27. [PMID: 28189820 PMCID: PMC5360173 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Revised: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Patients are increasingly being asked for feedback about their healthcare experiences. However, healthcare staff often find it difficult to act on this feedback in order to make improvements to services. This paper draws upon notions of legitimacy and readiness to develop a conceptual framework (Patient Feedback Response Framework - PFRF) which outlines why staff may find it problematic to respond to patient feedback. A large qualitative study was conducted with 17 ward based teams between 2013 and 2014, across three hospital Trusts in the North of England. This was a process evaluation of a wider study where ward staff were encouraged to make action plans based on patient feedback. We focus on three methods here: i) examination of taped discussion between ward staff during action planning meetings ii) facilitators notes of these meetings iii) telephone interviews with staff focusing on whether action plans had been achieved six months later. Analysis employed an abductive approach. Through the development of the PFRF, we found that making changes based on patient feedback is a complex multi-tiered process and not something that ward staff can simply 'do'. First, staff must exhibit normative legitimacy - the belief that listening to patients is a worthwhile exercise. Second, structural legitimacy has to be in place - ward teams need adequate autonomy, ownership and resource to enact change. Some ward teams are able to make improvements within their immediate control and environment. Third, for those staff who require interdepartmental co-operation or high level assistance to achieve change, organisational readiness must exist at the level of the hospital otherwise improvement will rarely be enacted. Case studies drawn from our empirical data demonstrate the above. It is only when appropriate levels of individual and organisational capacity to change exist, that patient feedback is likely to be acted upon to improve services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sheard
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, United Kingdom.
| | - Claire Marsh
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, United Kingdom
| | - Jane O'Hara
- Bradford Institute for Health Research and University of Leeds, United Kingdom
| | | | - John Wright
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca Lawton
- Bradford Institute for Health Research and University of Leeds, United Kingdom
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Sligo J, Gauld R, Roberts V, Villa L. A literature review for large-scale health information system project planning, implementation and evaluation. Int J Med Inform 2016; 97:86-97. [PMID: 27919399 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2016.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Revised: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Information technology is perceived as a potential panacea for healthcare organisations to manage pressure to improve services in the face of increased demand. However, the implementation and evaluation of health information systems (HIS) is plagued with problems and implementation shortcomings and failures are rife. HIS implementation is complex and relies on organisational, structural, technological, and human factors to be successful. It also requires reflective, nuanced, multidimensional evaluation to provide ongoing feedback to ensure success. This article provides a comprehensive review of the literature about evaluating and implementing HIS, detailing the challenges and recommendations for both evaluators and healthcare organisations. The factors that inhibit or promote successful HIS implementation are identified and effective evaluation strategies are described with the goal of informing teams evaluating complex HIS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Sligo
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
| | - Robin Gauld
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Vaughan Roberts
- Healthy Together 2020 Technology Programme, Counties Manukau Health, New Zealand
| | - Luis Villa
- Research and Evaluation Office, Health Intelligence and Informatics, Ko Awatea, New Zealand
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Honiden S, Connors GR. Barriers and Challenges to the Successful Implementation of an Intensive Care Unit Mobility Program: Understanding Systems and Human Factors in Search for Practical Solutions. Clin Chest Med 2016; 36:431-40. [PMID: 26304280 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccm.2015.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
ICU-acquired weakness is a common problem and carries significant morbidity. Despite evidence that early mobility can mitigate this, implementation outside of the research setting is lagging. Understanding barriers at the systems as well as individual level is a crucial step in successful implementation of an ICU mobility program. This includes taking inventory of waste, overburden and inconsistencies in the work environment. Appreciating regulative, normative as well as cultural forces at work is critical. Finally, key personnel, which include organizational leaders, innovation champions and end users of the proposed change need to be accounted for at each step during program implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shyoko Honiden
- Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 Cedar Street, PO Box 208057, New Haven, CT 06520-8057, USA.
| | - Geoffrey R Connors
- Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 Cedar Street, PO Box 208057, New Haven, CT 06520-8057, USA
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Johnston M, King D, Darzi A. Reply to the letter: WhatsApp with patient data transmitted via instant messaging? Am J Surg 2015; 211:301-2. [PMID: 26316362 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2015.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Johnston
- Division of Surgery, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, 10th floor, QEQM, South Wharf Rd, W2 1NY London, UK
| | - Dominic King
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Centre for Health Policy, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ara Darzi
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Herepath A, Kitchener M, Waring J. A realist analysis of hospital patient safety in Wales: applied learning for alternative contexts from a multisite case study. HEALTH SERVICES AND DELIVERY RESEARCH 2015. [DOI: 10.3310/hsdr03400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundHospital patient safety is a major social problem. In the UK, policy responses focus on the introduction of improvement programmes that seek to implement evidence-based clinical practices using the Model for Improvement, Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle. Empirical evidence that the outcomes of such programmes vary across hospitals demonstrates that the context of their implementation matters. However, the relationships between features of context and the implementation of safety programmes are both undertheorised and poorly understood in empirical terms.ObjectivesThis study is designed to address gaps in conceptual, methodological and empirical knowledge about the influence of context on the local implementation of patient safety programmes.DesignWe used concepts from critical realism and institutional analysis to conduct a qualitative comparative-intensive case study involving 21 hospitals across all seven Welsh health boards. We focused on the local implementation of three focal interventions from the 1000 Lives+patient safety programme: Improving Leadership for Quality Improvement, Reducing Surgical Complications and Reducing Health-care Associated Infection. Our main sources of data were 160 semistructured interviews, observation and 1700 health policy and organisational documents. These data were analysed using the realist approaches of abstraction, abduction and retroduction.SettingWelsh Government and NHS Wales.ParticipantsInterviews were conducted with 160 participants including government policy leads, health managers and professionals, partner agencies with strategic oversight of patient safety, advocacy groups and academics with expertise in patient safety.Main outcome measuresIdentification of the contextual factors pertinent to the local implementation of the 1000 Lives+patient safety programme in Welsh NHS hospitals.ResultsAn innovative conceptual framework harnessing realist social theory and institutional theory was produced to address challenges identified within previous applications of realist inquiry in patient safety research. This involved the development and use of an explanatory intervention–context–mechanism–agency–outcome (I-CMAO) configuration to illustrate the processes behind implementation of a change programme. Our findings, illustrated by multiple nested I-CMAO configurations, show how local implementation of patient safety interventions are impacted and modified by particular aspects of context: specifically, isomorphism, by which an intervention becomes adapted to the environment in which it is implemented; institutional logics, the beliefs and values underpinning the intervention and its source, and their perceived legitimacy among different groups of health-care professionals; and the relational structure and power dynamics of the functional group, that is, those tasked with implementing the initiative. This dynamic interplay shapes and guides actions leading to the normalisation or the rejection of the patient safety programme.ConclusionsHeightened awareness of the influence of context on the local implementation of patient safety programmes is required to inform the design of such interventions and to ensure their effective implementation and operationalisation in the day-to-day practice of health-care teams. Future work is required to elaborate our conceptual model and findings in similar settings where different interventions are introduced, and in different settings where similar innovations are implemented.FundingThe National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Herepath
- Sir Roland Smith Centre for Strategic Management, Department of Entrepreneurship, Strategy and Innovation, Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
- Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | | | - Justin Waring
- Nottingham University Business School, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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Johnston M, Mobasheri M, King D, Darzi A. The Imperial Clarify, Design and Evaluate (CDE) approach to mHealth app development. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1136/bmjinnov-2014-000020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Johnston MJ, King D, Arora S, Behar N, Athanasiou T, Sevdalis N, Darzi A. Smartphones let surgeons know WhatsApp: an analysis of communication in emergency surgical teams. Am J Surg 2015; 209:45-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2014.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2014] [Revised: 07/31/2014] [Accepted: 08/12/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Mobasheri MH, Johnston M, King D, Leff D, Thiruchelvam P, Darzi A. Smartphone breast applications - what's the evidence? Breast 2014; 23:683-9. [PMID: 25153432 DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2014.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 07/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There are around 40,000 healthcare applications (apps) available for smartphones. Apps have been reviewed in many specialties. Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in females with almost 1.38 million new cases a year worldwide. Despite the high prevalence of breast disease, apps in this field have not been reviewed to date. We have evaluated apps relevant to breast disease with an emphasis on their evidence base (EB) and medical professional involvement (MPI). METHODS Searching the major app stores (apple iTunes, Google Play, BlackBerry World, Windows Phone) using the most common breast symptoms and diseases identified relevant apps. Extracted data for each app included target consumer, disease focus, app function, documentation of any EB, documentation of MPI in development, and potential safety concerns. RESULTS One-hundred-and-eighty-five apps were reviewed. The majority focused on breast cancer (n = 139, 75.1%). Educational (n = 94) and self-assessment tools (n = 30) were the most common functions demonstrated. EB and MPI was identified in 14.2% and 12.8% of apps respectively. Potential safety concerns were identified in 29 (15.7%) apps. CONCLUSIONS There is a lack of EB and MPI in the development of current breast apps. Safety concerns highlight the need for regulation, full authorship disclosure and clinical trials. A robust framework for identifying high quality applications is necessary. This will address the current barrier pertaining to a lack of consumer confidence in their use and further aid to promote their widespread implementation within healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dominic King
- Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, UK.
| | - Daniel Leff
- Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, UK.
| | | | - Ara Darzi
- Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, UK.
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