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Gulati K, Davies J, Singh AR. A call for transforming physicians-as-administrators into professional hybrid medical leaders: insights from northern India. Leadersh Health Serv (Bradf Engl) 2025. [PMID: 39783827 DOI: 10.1108/lhs-07-2024-0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2025]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this paper is to understand the non-clinical challenges of physicians in northern India and to re-imagine an alternative scenario of hybrid professional medical management and leadership where physicians enact roles as strategic boundary spanners. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH In this qualitative study, 30 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with men and women physicians and thematically analysed. FINDINGS Physicians reported that they were unprepared formally for mainly ad hoc non-clinical responsibilities. Findings identified a range of six types of aspirational, willing, incidental, ambivalent, agnostic and actively resistant behaviours among physicians who were expected to undertake administrative, rather than strategic leadership tasks. ORIGINALITY/VALUE To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study makes a novel theoretical contribution to the dearth of literature on medical leadership in a low-middle income South Asian country. By examining physicians' views on their non-clinical responsibilities, this study highlights the strategic potential for developing physicians formally as professional hybrid managers and leaders who effectively bridge medical and managerial domains beyond the current scenario of physicians operating as untrained administrators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamal Gulati
- Centralized Core Research Facility, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Julie Davies
- Brunel Business School, Brunel University of London, London, UK
| | - Angel Rajan Singh
- Department of Hospital Administration, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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Zhao Y, Nzekwu S, Boga M, Mbuthia D, Nzinga J, English M, Molyneux S, McGivern G. Examining liminality in professional practice, relational identities, and career prospects in resource-constrained health systems: Findings from an empirical study of medical and nurse interns in Kenya. Soc Sci Med 2024; 357:117226. [PMID: 39146903 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117226] [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: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
We examine new doctors' and nurses' experiences of transitioning from training to practising as health professionals, drawing on the concept of liminality. Liminality is a stage of 'in-betweenness', involving uncertainty and ambiguity as people leave one social context and reintegrate into a new one. Surprisingly little research has explored new health professionals' experiences of liminality during role and career transitions, particularly in precarious and resource-constrained settings. Drawing on 146 qualitative interviews and seven focus groups, involving 121 new graduate medical doctors and nurses transitioning through internship training in Kenya, we describe three aspects of liminality. First, liminal professional practice, where interns realise that best practices learned during medical and nursing schools are often impossible to implement in resource constrained health care settings; instead they learn workarounds and practical norms. Second, liminal relational identities, where interns leave behind being students and adopt the identities and responsibilities of qualified professionals within pre-existing professional hierarchies of status and expertise. We explain how these new doctors and graduate nurses negotiate their liminal status, including in relation to more experienced but less qualified professional colleagues. We also discuss how interns cope with liminality due to disappointing and inadequate supervision and role modelling from senior colleagues but then find peer support and their place within their own professions. Finally, we discuss how new doctors and nurses come to terms with the precarity of working in resource constrained health systems, abandon expectations of secure, permanent employment and careers, and accept the realities of liminal professional careers. We explain how all three forms of liminality influence professionals' developing practices, identities, and careers. We call for further studies with a specific liminality lens to explore this critical period in health workers' careers, to inform policy and practice responding to global transformations in healthcare professions and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxi Zhao
- NDM Centre for Global Health Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | | | | | | | | | - Mike English
- NDM Centre for Global Health Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Sassy Molyneux
- NDM Centre for Global Health Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Gerry McGivern
- King's Business School, King's College London, London, UK
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Sartirana M, Giacomelli G. Hybridity enabled: A research synthesis of the enabling conditions for hybrid professionalism in healthcare. Health Serv Manage Res 2024; 37:2-15. [PMID: 36651108 DOI: 10.1177/09514848231151829] [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] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Hybrid professionals in healthcare organizations play a critical role, the characteristics, processes and implications of which have been thoroughly studied by scholars in the field. However, not as much attention has been paid to the conditions under which such roles might be taken by professionals entering the ground of management. This gap results into a lack of conceptual clarity and eventually ends being an obstacle in framing and ameliorating the tools needed to act such a role in its different phases. This is a research area worthy of a finer-grained understanding: the ability of organizations to effectively support role hybridization, in fact, is a requisite for professionals-managers' willingness to stay in the role and cope with the complexity that such a two-fold position entails, no matter what. Based on the results of a scoping literature review, this paper presents the enabling conditions for hybrid professionalism in healthcare, and proposes a classification of them into categories corresponding to different facets of hybrid role-taking: opportunities for interaction with management, tools supporting sense-making, and provision of delegation and autonomy. For each of these categories, organizational and management tools discussed in the literature are presented. The results of the study provide a road-map of the enabling conditions for hybrid professionalism that aims to be of practical convenience for managers and policy-makers in health care. Eventually, suggestions for organizational design and personnel management, as well as directions for further research, are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Sartirana
- CERGAS (Centre for Research on Healthcare Management), SDA Bocconi School of Management, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giacomelli
- GHNP Government, Health & Not for Profit, SDA Bocconi School of Management, Milan, Italy
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Musitia P, Boga M, Oluoch D, Haaland A, Nzinga J, English M, Molyneux S. Strengthening respectful communication with patients and colleagues in neonatal units - developing and evaluating a communication and emotional competence training for nurse managers in Kenya. Wellcome Open Res 2022; 7:223. [PMID: 38708375 PMCID: PMC11066535 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.18006.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Effective communication is essential to delivering compassionate, high-quality nursing care. The intensive, stressful and technical environment of a new-born unit (NBU) in a low-resource setting presents communication-related challenges for nurses, with negative implications for nurse well-being, team relationships and patient care. We adapted a pre-existing communication and emotional competence course with NBU nurse managers working in Kenya, explored its' value to participants and developed a theory of change to evaluate its' potential impact. Methods: 18 neonatal nurse managers from 14 county referral hospitals helped adapt and participated in a nine-month participatory training process. Training involved guided 'on the job' self-observation and reflection to build self-awareness, and two face-to-face skills-building workshops. The course and potential for future scale up was assessed using written responses from participant nurses (baseline questionnaires, reflective assignments, pre and post workshop questionnaires), workshop observation notes, two group discussions and nine individual in-depth interviews. Results: Participants were extremely positive about the course, with many emphasizing its direct relevance and applicability to their daily work. Increased self-awareness and ability to recognize their own, colleagues' and patients' emotional triggers, together with new knowledge and practical skills, reportedly inspired nurses to change; in turn influencing their ability to provide respectful care, improving their confidence and relationships and giving them a stronger sense of professional identity. Conclusion: Providing respectful care is a major challenge in low-resource, high-pressure clinical settings but there are few strategies to address this problem. The participatory training process examined addresses this challenge and has potential for positive impacts for families, individual workers and teams, including worker well-being. We present an initial theory of change to support future evaluations aimed at exploring if and how positive gains can be sustained and spread within the wider system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peris Musitia
- Health Service Unit, KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Mwanamvua Boga
- Health Service Unit, KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Dorothy Oluoch
- Health Service Unit, KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Ane Haaland
- Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jacinta Nzinga
- Health Service Unit, KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Mike English
- Health Service Unit, KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford Centre for Global Health Research, Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sassy Molyneux
- Health Service Unit, KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford Centre for Global Health Research, Oxford, Oxford, UK
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English M, Nzinga J, Oliwa J, Maina M, Oluoch D, Barasa E, Irimu G, Muinga N, Vincent C, McKnight J. Improving facility-based care: eliciting tacit knowledge to advance intervention design. BMJ Glob Health 2022; 7:e009410. [PMID: 35985694 PMCID: PMC9396143 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-009410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention has turned to improving the quality and safety of healthcare within health facilities to reduce avoidable mortality and morbidity. Interventions should be tested in health system environments that can support their adoption if successful. To be successful, interventions often require changes in multiple behaviours making their consequences unpredictable. Here, we focus on this challenge of change at the mesolevel or microlevel. Drawing on multiple insights from theory and our own empirical work, we highlight the importance of engaging managers, senior and frontline staff and potentially patients to explore foundational questions examining three core resource areas. These span the physical or material resources available, workforce capacity and capability and team and organisational relationships. Deficits in all these resource areas may need to be addressed to achieve success. We also argue that as inertia is built into the complex social and human systems characterising healthcare facilities that thought on how to mobilise five motive forces is needed to help achieve change. These span goal alignment and ownership, leadership for change, empowering key actors, promoting responsive planning and procurement and learning for transformation. Our aim is to bridge the theory-practice gap and offer an entry point for practical discussions to elicit the critical tacit and contextual knowledge needed to design interventions. We hope that this may improve the chances that interventions are successful and so contribute to better facility-based care and outcomes while contributing to the development of learning health systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike English
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
- Health Systems Collaborative, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford, UK
| | - Jacinta Nzinga
- Health Economics Research Unit, KEMRI - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jacquie Oliwa
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi College of Health Sciences, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Michuki Maina
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Dorothy Oluoch
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Edwine Barasa
- Health Economics Research Unit, KEMRI - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
- Center for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford Centre for Tropical Medicine, Oxford, UK
| | - Grace Irimu
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi College of Health Sciences, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Naomi Muinga
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Charles Vincent
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jacob McKnight
- Health Systems Collaborative, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford, UK
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Jepkosgei J, English M, Adam MB, Nzinga J. Understanding intra- and interprofessional team and teamwork processes by exploring facility-based neonatal care in kenyan hospitals. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:636. [PMID: 35562721 PMCID: PMC9103056 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08039-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Within intensive care settings such as neonatal intensive care units, effective intra- and interprofessional teamwork has been linked to a significant reduction of errors and overall improvement in the quality of care. In Kenya, previous studies suggest that coordination of care among healthcare teams providing newborn care is poor. Initiatives aimed at improving intra- and interprofessional teamwork in healthcare settings largely draw on studies conducted in high-income countries, with those from resource-constrained low and middle countries, particularly in the context of newborn care lacking. In this study, we explored the nature of intra- and interprofessional teamwork among health care providers in newborn units (NBUs) of three hospitals in Kenya, and the professional and contextual dynamics that shaped their interactions. METHODS This exploratory qualitative study was conducted in three hospitals in Nairobi and Muranga Counties in Kenya. We adopted an ethnographic approach, utilizing both in-depth interviews (17) and non-participant observation of routine care provision in NBUs (250 observation hours). The study participants included: nurses, nursing students, doctors, and trainee doctors. All the data were thematically coded in NVIVO 12. RESULTS The nature of intra- and interprofessional teamwork among healthcare providers in the study newborn units is primarily shaped by broader contextual factors and varying institutional contexts. As a result, several team types emerged, loosely categorized as the 'core' team which involves providers physically present in the unit most times during the work shift; the emergency team and the temporary ad-hoc teams which involved the 'core' team, support staff students and mothers. The emergence of these team types influenced relationships among providers. Overall, institutionalized routines and rituals shaped team relations and overall functioning. CONCLUSIONS Poor coordination and the sub-optimal nature of intra-and interprofessional teamwork in NBUs are attributed to broader contextual challenges that include low staff to patient ratios and institutionalized routines and rituals that influenced team norming, relationships, and team leadership. Therefore, mechanisms to improve coordination and collaboration among healthcare teams in these settings need to consider contextual dynamics including institutional cultures while also targeting improvement of team-level processes including leadership development and widening spaces for more interaction and better communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyline Jepkosgei
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, P. O. Box 43640 - 00100, 197 Lenana Place, Lenana Road, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Mike English
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, P. O. Box 43640 - 00100, 197 Lenana Place, Lenana Road, Nairobi, Kenya
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Mary B Adam
- AIC Kijabe Mission Hospital, Kijabe, Kenya
- Africa Consortium for Quality Improvement Research in Frontline Healthcare (ACQUIRE), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jacinta Nzinga
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, P. O. Box 43640 - 00100, 197 Lenana Place, Lenana Road, Nairobi, Kenya
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English M, Ogola M, Aluvaala J, Gicheha E, Irimu G, McKnight J, Vincent CA. First do no harm: practitioners' ability to 'diagnose' system weaknesses and improve safety is a critical initial step in improving care quality. Arch Dis Child 2021; 106:326-332. [PMID: 33361068 PMCID: PMC7982941 DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2020-320630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Healthcare systems across the world and especially those in low-resource settings (LRS) are under pressure and one of the first priorities must be to prevent any harm done while trying to deliver care. Health care workers, especially department leaders, need the diagnostic abilities to identify local safety concerns and design actions that benefit their patients. We draw on concepts from the safety sciences that are less well-known than mainstream quality improvement techniques in LRS. We use these to illustrate how to analyse the complex interactions between resources and tools, the organisation of tasks and the norms that may govern behaviours, together with the strengths and vulnerabilities of systems. All interact to influence care and outcomes. To employ these techniques leaders will need to focus on the best attainable standards of care, build trust and shift away from the blame culture that undermines improvement. Health worker education should include development of the technical and relational skills needed to perform these system diagnostic roles. Some safety challenges need leadership from professional associations to provide important resources, peer support and mentorship to sustain safety work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike English
- Oxford Centre for Global Health Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK .,Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Muthoni Ogola
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya,Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jalemba Aluvaala
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya,Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Edith Gicheha
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya,Kenya Paediatric Research Consortium, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Grace Irimu
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya,Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya,Kenya Paediatric Research Consortium, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jacob McKnight
- Oxford Centre for Global Health Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
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Vincent CA, Mboga M, Gathara D, Were F, Amalberti R, English M. How to do no harm: empowering local leaders to make care safer in low-resource settings. Arch Dis Child 2021; 106:333-337. [PMID: 33574028 PMCID: PMC7982924 DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2020-320631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
In a companion paper, we showed how local hospital leaders could assess systems and identify key safety concerns and targets for system improvement. In the present paper, we consider how these leaders might implement practical, low-cost interventions to improve safety. Our focus is on making immediate safety improvements both to directly improve patient care and as a foundation for advancing care in the longer-term. We describe a 'portfolio' approach to safety improvement in four broad categories: prioritising critical processes, such as checking drug doses; strengthening the overall system of care, for example, by introducing multiprofessional handovers; control of known risks, such as only using continuous positive airway pressure when appropriate conditions are met; and enhancing detection and response to hazardous situations, such as introducing brief team meetings to identify and respond to immediate threats and challenges. Local clinical leaders and managers face numerous challenges in delivering safe care but, if given sufficient support, they are nevertheless in a position to bring about major improvements. Skills in improving safety and quality should be recognised as equivalent to any other form of (sub)specialty training and as an essential element of any senior clinical or management role. National professional organisations need to promote appropriate education and provide coaching, mentorship and support to local leaders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David Gathara
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust, Nairobi, Kenya,London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Fred Were
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Rene Amalberti
- Foundation for an Industrial Safety Culture, Toulouse, France
| | - Mike English
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust, Nairobi, Kenya .,Oxford Centre for Global Health Research, Nuffiled Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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English M, Irimu G, Akech S, Aluvaala J, Ogero M, Isaaka L, Malla L, Tuti T, Gathara D, Oliwa J, Agweyu A. Employing learning health system principles to advance research on severe neonatal and paediatric illness in Kenya. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 6:e005300. [PMID: 33758014 PMCID: PMC7993294 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-005300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
We have worked to develop a Clinical Information Network (CIN) in Kenya as an early form of learning health systems (LHS) focused on paediatric and neonatal care that now spans 22 hospitals. CIN's aim was to examine important outcomes of hospitalisation at scale, identify and ultimately solve practical problems of service delivery, drive improvements in quality and test interventions. By including multiple routine settings in research, we aimed to promote generalisability of findings and demonstrate potential efficiencies derived from LHS. We illustrate the nature and range of research CIN has supported over the past 7 years as a form of LHS. Clinically, this has largely focused on common, serious paediatric illnesses such as pneumonia, malaria and diarrhoea with dehydration with recent extensions to neonatal illnesses. CIN also enables examination of the quality of care, for example that provided to children with severe malnutrition and the challenges encountered in routine settings in adopting simple technologies (pulse oximetry) and more advanced diagnostics (eg, Xpert MTB/RIF). Although regular feedback to hospitals has been associated with some improvements in quality data continue to highlight system challenges that undermine provision of basic, quality care (eg, poor access to blood glucose testing and routine microbiology). These challenges include those associated with increased mortality risk (eg, delays in blood transfusion). Using the same data the CIN platform has enabled conduct of randomised trials and supports malaria vaccine and most recently COVID-19 surveillance. Employing LHS principles has meant engaging front-line workers, clinical managers and national stakeholders throughout. Our experience suggests LHS can be developed in low and middle-income countries that efficiently enable contextually appropriate research and contribute to strengthening of health services and research systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike English
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
- Oxford Centre for Global Health Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Oxford, UK
| | - Grace Irimu
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Samuel Akech
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jalemba Aluvaala
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Morris Ogero
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Lynda Isaaka
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Lucas Malla
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Timothy Tuti
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - David Gathara
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jacquie Oliwa
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Ambrose Agweyu
- Epidemiology and Demography, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
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English M, Nzinga J, Irimu G, Gathara D, Aluvaala J, McKnight J, Wong G, Molyneux S. Programme theory and linked intervention strategy for large-scale change to improve hospital care in a low and middle-income country - A Study Pre-Protocol. Wellcome Open Res 2020; 5:265. [PMID: 33274301 PMCID: PMC7684682 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16379.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In low and middle-income countries (LMIC) general hospitals are important for delivering some key acute care services. Neonatal care is emblematic of these acute services as averting deaths requires skilled care over many days from multiple professionals with at least basic equipment. However, hospital care is often of poor quality and large-scale change is needed to improve outcomes. In this manuscript we aim to show how we have drawn upon our understanding of contexts of care in Kenyan general hospital NBUs, and on social and behavioural theories that offer potential mechanisms of change in these settings, to develop an initial programme theory guiding a large scale change intervention to improve neonatal care and outcomes. Our programme theory is an expression of our assumptions about what actions will be both useful and feasible. It incorporates a recognition of our strengths and limitations as a research-practitioner partnership to influence change. The steps we employ represent the initial programme theory development phase commonly undertaken in many Realist Evaluations. However, unlike many Realist Evaluations that develop initial programme theories focused on pre-existing interventions or programmes, our programme theory informs the design of a new intervention that we plan to execute. Within this paper we articulate briefly how we propose to operationalise this new intervention. Finally, we outline the quantitative and qualitative research activities that we will use to address specific questions related to the delivery and effects of this new intervention, discussing some of the challenges of such study designs. We intend that this research on the intervention will inform future efforts to revise the programme theory and yield transferable learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike English
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jacinta Nzinga
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Grace Irimu
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - David Gathara
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Jacob McKnight
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Geoffrey Wong
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sassy Molyneux
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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English M, Nzinga J, Irimu G, Gathara D, Aluvaala J, McKnight J, Wong G, Molyneux S. Programme theory and linked intervention strategy for large-scale change to improve hospital care in a low and middle-income country - A Study Pre-Protocol. Wellcome Open Res 2020; 5:265. [PMID: 33274301 PMCID: PMC7684682 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16379.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
In low and middle-income countries (LMIC) general hospitals are important for delivering some key acute care services. Neonatal care is emblematic of these acute services as averting deaths requires skilled care over many days from multiple professionals with at least basic equipment. However, hospital care is often of poor quality and large-scale change is needed to improve outcomes. In this manuscript we aim to show how we have drawn upon our understanding of contexts of care in Kenyan general hospital NBUs, and on social and behavioural theories that offer potential mechanisms of change in these settings, to develop an initial programme theory guiding a large scale change intervention to improve neonatal care and outcomes. Our programme theory is an expression of our assumptions about what actions will be both useful and feasible. It incorporates a recognition of our strengths and limitations as a research-practitioner partnership to influence change. The steps we employ represent the initial programme theory development phase commonly undertaken in many Realist Evaluations. However, unlike many Realist Evaluations that develop initial programme theories focused on pre-existing interventions or programmes, our programme theory informs the design of a new intervention that we plan to execute. Within this paper we articulate briefly how we propose to operationalise this new intervention. Finally, we outline the quantitative and qualitative research activities that we will use to address specific questions related to the delivery and effects of this new intervention, discussing some of the challenges of such study designs. We intend that this research on the intervention will inform future efforts to revise the programme theory and yield transferable learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike English
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Programme, Nairobi, Kenya.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jacinta Nzinga
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Grace Irimu
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - David Gathara
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Jacob McKnight
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Geoffrey Wong
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sassy Molyneux
- Health Services Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Programme, Nairobi, Kenya.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Wiedner R, Croft C, McGivern G. Improvisation during a crisis: hidden innovation in healthcare systems. BMJ LEADER 2020. [DOI: 10.1136/leader-2020-000259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BackgroundCrises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, risk overwhelming health and social care systems. As part of their responses to a critical situation, healthcare professionals necessarily improvise. Some of these local improvisations have the potential to contribute to important innovations for health and social care systems with relevance beyond the particular service area and crisis in which they were developed.FindingsThis paper explores some key drivers of improvised innovation that may arise in response to a crisis. We highlight how services that are not considered immediate priorities may also emerge as especially fertile areas in this respect.ConclusionHealth managers and policymakers should monitor crisis-induced improvisations to counteract the potential deterioration of non-prioritised services and to identify and share useful innovations. This will be crucial as health and social care systems around the world recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and head into another potential crisis: a global economic recession.
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Abstract
Purpose
Mergers are important and challenging elements in hospital reforms. The authors study the social aspects of management and the roles of middle managers in the aftermath of a hospital merger. Especially, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how professional staff and middle managers perceive their relationships with top managers several years after the merger.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted among the professional staff in two merging hospitals’ units six years after a merger. Based on the main findings from this survey, a follow-up interview study was done with a group of middle managers.
Findings
The management practices were diagnostic with few interactive or communicative activities. The respondents expressed that mistrust developed between the staff and the top management, and a lack of involvement and interaction lead to decoupled and parallel organizations. Social controls, based on shared norms, had not been developed to create mutual commitment and engagement.
Practical implications
Policy makers should be aware of the need in profound change processes not only to change the tangible elements, but to take care of changing the less tangible elements such as norms and values. Professionals in hospitals are in powerful positions, and changes in such organizations are dependent on trust-building, bottom-up initiatives and evolutionary pathways.
Originality/value
The paper addresses the need to understand the dynamics of the social aspect in managing hospitals as knowledge-intensive organizations when comprehensive restructuring processes are taking place over several years.
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