Development and rapid evaluation of services to support the physical health of people using psychiatric inpatient units during the COVID-19 pandemic: study protocol

Approaches to enabling rapid evaluation of innovations in health and social care: a scoping review of evidence from high-income countries

OBJECTIVE

The COVID-19 pandemic increased the demand for rapid evaluation of innovation in health and social care. Assessment of rapid methodologies is lacking although challenges in ensuring rigour and effective use of resources are known. We mapped reports of rapid evaluations of health and social care innovations, categorised different approaches to rapid evaluation, explored comparative benefits of rapid evaluation, and identified knowledge gaps.

DESIGN

Scoping review.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, EMBASE and Health Management Information Consortium (HMIC) databases were searched through 13 September 2022.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES

We included publications reporting primary research or methods for rapid evaluation of interventions or services in health and social care in high-income countries.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Two reviewers developed and piloted a data extraction form. One reviewer extracted data, a second reviewer checked 10% of the studies; disagreements and uncertainty were resolved through consensus. We used narrative synthesis to map different approaches to conducting rapid evaluation.

RESULTS

We identified 16 759 records and included 162 which met inclusion criteria.We identified four main approaches for rapid evaluation: (1) Using methodology designed specifically for rapid evaluation; (2) Increasing rapidity by doing less or using less time-intensive methodology; (3) Using alternative technologies and/or data to increase speed of existing evaluation method; (4) Adapting part of non-rapid evaluation.The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an increase in publications and some limited changes in identified methods. We found little research comparing rapid and non-rapid evaluation.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a lack of clarity about what 'rapid evaluation' means but identified some useful preliminary categories. There is a need for clarity and consistency about what constitutes rapid evaluation; consistent terminology in reporting evaluations as rapid; development of specific methodologies for making evaluation more rapid; and assessment of advantages and disadvantages of rapid methodology in terms of rigour, cost and impact.

Factors determining the quality of health services provided to COVID-19 patients from the perspective of healthcare providers: Based on the Donabedian model

Objectives

The present study aims to explain factors determining the quality of health services provided to COVID-19 patients from the perspective of healthcare providers based on the Donabedian model.

Method

This qualitative study was conducted at a referral hospital on COVID-19 patients in Tehran, in 2020. The data were collected through individual and semi-structured interviews from 20 participants using the purposive sampling method. Besides, data analysis was conducted simultaneously using the directed content analysis method.

Results

Data analysis results produced 850 primary codes in three predetermined categories of the Donabedian model, including the structure (organizational readiness and continuous training), the process (effective management and leadership, safe care, and comprehensive care measures) and outcomes (professional excellence, quantitative and qualitative improvements in hospital services, and acceptability of healthcare professionals).

Conclusion

The results of this study can help managers better understand how a public health crisis affects the structure of organizations providing care and treatment, quality of treatment processes in the organization, and the consequences. In addition, this study can be used as a model for optimizing the structures and processes to improve outcomes.

Further Adaptations and Reflections by an Assertive Community Treatment Team to Serve Clients with Severe Mental Illness During COVID-19

In September of 2020, Guan and colleagues wrote about their experience of an Assertive Community Psychiatry Program responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. We describe our own experience as an Assertive Community Treatment team in Minnesota responding to challenges of effectively and safely delivering service to clients. As the pandemic has progressed since last year, so has the literature, and updated references are highlighted. Common threads are woven between our experience, the experience of Guan and colleagues, and others to suggest the beginnings of a template to adapt services to a new post-pandemic world.