scholarly journals Taking the pulse of the health services research community: a cross-sectional survey of research impact, barriers and support

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 160
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Fradgley ◽  
Jon Karnon ◽  
Della Roach ◽  
Katherine Harding ◽  
Laura Wilkinson-Meyers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Goodness Of Fit ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Practice Change ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Service Staff

Objective This study reports on the characteristics of individuals conducting health service research (HSR) in Australia and New Zealand, the perceived accessibility of resources for HSR, the self-reported impact of HSR projects and perceived barriers to conducting HSR. Methods A sampling frame was compiled from funding announcements, trial registers and HSR organisation membership. Listed researchers were invited to complete online surveys. Close-ended survey items were analysed using basic descriptive statistics. Goodness of fit tests determined potential associations between researcher affiliation and access to resources for HSR. Open-ended survey items were analysed using thematic analysis. Results In all, 424 researchers participated in the study (22% response rate). Respondents held roles as health service researchers (76%), educators (34%) and health professionals (19%). Most were employed by a university (64%), and 57% held a permanent contract. Although 63% reported network support for HSR, smaller proportions reported executive (48%) or financial (26%) support. The least accessible resources were economists (52%), consumers (49%) and practice change experts (34%); researchers affiliated with health services were less likely to report access to statisticians (P<0.001), economists (P<0.001), librarians (P=0.02) and practice change experts (P=0.02) than university-affiliated researchers. Common impacts included conference presentations (94%), publication of peer-reviewed articles (87%) and health professional benefits (77%). Qualitative data emphasised barriers such as embedding research culture within services and engaging with policy makers. Conclusions The data highlight opportunities to sustain the HSR community through dedicated funding, improved access to methodological expertise and greater engagement with end-users. What is known about the topic? HSR faces several challenges, such as inequitable funding allocation and difficulties in quantifying the effects of HSR on changing health policy or practice. What does this paper add? Despite a vibrant and experienced HSR community, this study highlights some key barriers to realising a greater effect on the health and well-being of Australian and New Zealand communities through HSR. These barriers include limited financial resources, methodological expertise, organisational support and opportunities to engage with potential collaborators. What are the implications for practitioners? Funding is required to develop HSR infrastructure, support collaboration between health services and universities and combine knowledge of the system with research experience and expertise. Formal training programs for health service staff and researchers, from short courses to PhD programs, will support broader interest and involvement in HSR.

scholarly journals Taking the pulse of the health services research community: A cross-sectional survey of research impact, barriers and support

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
EA Fradgley ◽  
J Karnon ◽  
D Roach ◽  
K Harding ◽  
L Wilkinson-Meyers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Goodness Of Fit ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Practice Change ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Service Staff

© 2020 AHHA Open Access. Objective: This study reports on the characteristics of individuals conducting health service research (HSR) in Australia and New Zealand, the perceived accessibility of resources for HSR, the self-reported impact of HSR projects and perceived barriers to conducting HSR. Methods: A sampling frame was compiled from funding announcements, trial registers and HSR organisation membership. Listed researchers were invited to complete online surveys. Close-ended survey items were analysed using basic descriptive statistics. Goodness of fit tests determined potential associations between researcher affiliation and access to resources for HSR. Open-ended survey items were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: In all, 424 researchers participated in the study (22% response rate). Respondents held roles as health service researchers (76%), educators (34%) and health professionals (19%). Most were employed by a university (64%), and 57% held a permanent contract. Although 63% reported network support for HSR, smaller proportions reported executive (48%) or financial (26%) support. The least accessible resources were economists (52%), consumers (49%) and practice change experts (34%) researchers affiliated with health services were less likely to report access to statisticians (P < 0.001), economists (P < 0.001), librarians (P = 0.02) and practice change experts (P = 0.02) than university-affiliated researchers. Common impacts included conference presentations (94%), publication of peer-reviewed articles (87%) and health professional benefits (77%). Qualitative data emphasised barriers such as embedding research culture within services and engaging with policy makers. Conclusions: The data highlight opportunities to sustain the HSR community through dedicated funding, improved access to methodological expertise and greater engagement with end-users. What is known about the topic?: HSR faces several challenges, such as inequitable funding allocation and difficulties in quantifying the effects of HSR on changing health policy or practice. What does this paper add?: Despite a vibrant and experienced HSR community, this study highlights some key barriers to realising a greater effect on the health and well-being of Australian and New Zealand communities through HSR. These barriers include limited financial resources, methodological expertise, organisational support and opportunities to engage with potential collaborators. What are the implications for practitioners?: Funding is required to develop HSR infrastructure, support collaboration between health services and universities and combine knowledge of the system with research experience and expertise. Formal training programs for health service staff and researchers, from short courses to PhD programs, will support broader interest and involvement in HSR.

scholarly journals Taking the pulse of the health services research community: A cross-sectional survey of research impact, barriers and support

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
EA Fradgley ◽  
J Karnon ◽  
D Roach ◽  
K Harding ◽  
L Wilkinson-Meyers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Goodness Of Fit ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Practice Change ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Service Staff

© 2020 AHHA Open Access. Objective: This study reports on the characteristics of individuals conducting health service research (HSR) in Australia and New Zealand, the perceived accessibility of resources for HSR, the self-reported impact of HSR projects and perceived barriers to conducting HSR. Methods: A sampling frame was compiled from funding announcements, trial registers and HSR organisation membership. Listed researchers were invited to complete online surveys. Close-ended survey items were analysed using basic descriptive statistics. Goodness of fit tests determined potential associations between researcher affiliation and access to resources for HSR. Open-ended survey items were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: In all, 424 researchers participated in the study (22% response rate). Respondents held roles as health service researchers (76%), educators (34%) and health professionals (19%). Most were employed by a university (64%), and 57% held a permanent contract. Although 63% reported network support for HSR, smaller proportions reported executive (48%) or financial (26%) support. The least accessible resources were economists (52%), consumers (49%) and practice change experts (34%) researchers affiliated with health services were less likely to report access to statisticians (P < 0.001), economists (P < 0.001), librarians (P = 0.02) and practice change experts (P = 0.02) than university-affiliated researchers. Common impacts included conference presentations (94%), publication of peer-reviewed articles (87%) and health professional benefits (77%). Qualitative data emphasised barriers such as embedding research culture within services and engaging with policy makers. Conclusions: The data highlight opportunities to sustain the HSR community through dedicated funding, improved access to methodological expertise and greater engagement with end-users. What is known about the topic?: HSR faces several challenges, such as inequitable funding allocation and difficulties in quantifying the effects of HSR on changing health policy or practice. What does this paper add?: Despite a vibrant and experienced HSR community, this study highlights some key barriers to realising a greater effect on the health and well-being of Australian and New Zealand communities through HSR. These barriers include limited financial resources, methodological expertise, organisational support and opportunities to engage with potential collaborators. What are the implications for practitioners?: Funding is required to develop HSR infrastructure, support collaboration between health services and universities and combine knowledge of the system with research experience and expertise. Formal training programs for health service staff and researchers, from short courses to PhD programs, will support broader interest and involvement in HSR.

scholarly journals Remote care for mental health: qualitative study with service users, carers and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. e049210
Author(s):  
Elisa Liberati ◽  
Natalie Richards ◽  
Jennie Parker ◽  
Janet Willars ◽  
David Scott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Comparison Method ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Qualitative Interview Study ◽  
Remote Care

ObjectivesTo explore the experiences of service users, carers and staff seeking or providing secondary mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.DesignQualitative interview study, codesigned with mental health service users and carers.MethodsWe conducted semistructured, telephone or online interviews with a purposively constructed sample; a lived experience researcher conducted and analysed interviews with service users. Analysis was based on the constant comparison method.SettingNational Health Service (NHS) secondary mental health services in England between June and August 2020.ParticipantsOf 65 participants, 20 had either accessed or needed to access English secondary mental healthcare during the pandemic; 10 were carers of people with mental health difficulties; 35 were members of staff working in NHS secondary mental health services during the pandemic.ResultsExperiences of remote care were mixed. Some service users valued the convenience of remote methods in the context of maintaining contact with familiar clinicians. Most participants commented that a lack of non-verbal cues and the loss of a therapeutic ‘safe space’ challenged therapeutic relationship building, assessments and identification of deteriorating mental well-being. Some carers felt excluded from remote meetings and concerned that assessments were incomplete without their input. Like service users, remote methods posed challenges for clinicians who reported uncertainty about technical options and a lack of training. All groups expressed concern about intersectionality exacerbating inequalities and the exclusion of some service user groups if alternatives to remote care are lost.ConclusionsThough remote mental healthcare is likely to become increasingly widespread in secondary mental health services, our findings highlight the continued importance of a tailored, personal approach to decision making in this area. Further research should focus on which types of consultations best suit face-to-face interaction, and for whom and why, and which can be provided remotely and by which medium.

Predictors of users’ preferences for online health services

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-225
Author(s):  
Shahidul Islam ◽  
Md Rakibul Hoque ◽  
Md Abdullah Al Jamil
Keyword(s):  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Rational Choice Theory ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Service Quality

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explain predictors that discriminate users’ preferences for online health services, focusing on a downtown area in a developing country. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on rational choice theory (RCT), the authors test a model that links the frequency of online health service usage to access-activators and access-inhibitors. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and the discriminant analysis model were used to analyze data from a sample of 215 internet users. Findings Results confirm the significance of responsiveness, user’s attitude, accessibility and perceived ease of use, indicating their discriminating role in the usage of online health services. Research limitations/implications The study demonstrates the relevance of RCT in measuring perceived online health service quality in an emerging context. Future research should consider the influence of electronic health (eHealth) literacy, norms and trustworthiness to increase the generalizability of the findings. Practical implications The findings of this study can help enhance the eHealth service quality by encouraging service providers to improve the interactivity and ease of use of their platforms, thus delivering value to both consumers and firms and improving the well-being of the society at large. Originality/value Few existing studies draw attention to access-activators and access-inhibitors to predict users’ preferences for online health services. This study shows the applicability of RCT in preparing the instrumental dimensions of online health service quality.

scholarly journals “Slow science” for 21st century healthcare: reinventing health service research that serves fast-paced, high-complexity care organisations

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Jorm ◽  
Rick Iedema ◽  
Donella Piper ◽  
Nicholas Goodwin ◽  
Andrew Searles
Keyword(s):  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Service Research ◽  
Health Service Delivery ◽  
Healthcare Research ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Services Research ◽  
Frontline Staff ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to argue for an improved conceptualisation of health service research, using Stengers' (2018) metaphor of “slow science” as a critical yardstick.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is structured in three parts. It first reviews the field of health services research and the approaches that dominate it. It then considers the healthcare research approaches whose principles and methodologies are more aligned with “slow science” before presenting a description of a “slow science” project in which the authors are currently engaged.FindingsCurrent approaches to health service research struggle to offer adequate resources for resolving frontline complexity, principally because they set more store by knowledge generalisation, disciplinary continuity and integrity and the consolidation of expertise, than by engaging with frontline complexity on its terms, negotiating issues with frontline staff and patients on their terms and framing findings and solutions in ways that key in to the in situ dynamics and complexities that define health service delivery.Originality/valueThere is a need to engage in a paradigm shift that engages health services as co-researchers, prioritising practical change and local involvement over knowledge production. Economics is a research field where the products are of natural appeal to powerful health service managers. A “slow science” approach adopted by the embedded Economist Program with its emphasis on pre-implementation, knowledge mobilisation and parallel site capacity development sets out how research can be flexibly produced to improve health services.

scholarly journals Social prescribing for patients of secondary mental health services: emotional, psychological and social well-being outcomes

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 271-279
Author(s):  
Chris Dayson ◽  
Jo Painter ◽  
Ellen Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Service ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Contribution ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Prescribing

Purpose This paper aims to identify the well-being outcomes of a social prescribing model set within a secondary mental health service recovery pathway and understand the key characteristics of a social prescribing referral for producing these outcomes. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative case study of one mental health social prescribing service with three nested case studies of social prescribing providers. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with commissioners, providers and patients (n = 20) and analysed thematically. Findings Social prescribing makes a positive contribution to emotional, psychological and social well-being for patients of secondary mental health services. A key enabling mechanism of the social prescribing model was the supportive discharge pathway which provided opportunities for sustained engagement in community activities, including participation in peer-to-peer support networks and volunteering. Research limitations/implications More in-depth research is required to fully understand when, for whom and in what circumstances social prescribing is effective for patients of secondary mental health services. Practical implications A supported social prescribing referral, embedded within a recovery focussed secondary mental health service pathway, offers a valuable accompaniment to traditional approaches. Current social prescribing policy is focussed on increasing the number of link workers in primary care, but this study highlights the importance models embedded within secondary care and of funding VCSE organisations to receive referrals and provide pathways for long-term engagement, enabling positive outcomes to be sustained. Originality/value Social prescribing is widely advocated in policy and practice but there are few examples of social prescribing models having been developed in secondary mental health services, and no published academic studies that everybody are aware of.

Commentary: enabling service wisdom for MEA organizations and society

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond P. Fisk
Keyword(s):  
Service System ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Human Condition ◽  
Service Systems ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Human Needs

Purpose This commentary seeks to enable service researchers in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) regions and those in other regions to pursue service research that addresses the many difficult service system problems in the MEA. Design/methodology/approach This commentary is based on more than 40 years of service research experience and unique insights from a service research pioneer. The commentary addresses what service systems are and why they are important to human progress. Findings Three service wisdoms are offered to enable service researchers. Serving Human Needs focuses on the essential role of service because all human economies exist to serve human needs. It also provides the aspirational goal of improving human well-being by transforming service systems. The topic of Designing New Service Rules urges service researchers to design new service systems based on the win-win logic of mutualism. Collaborating With Each Other is the third service wisdom. With more than 7 billion humans living today, mutually beneficial collaborations are one of the best strategies for improving human well-being and the well-being of our crowded planet. Practical implications Practical ideas are offered for improving the human condition through collaboratively serving each other’s needs. Social implications Because service systems are both nonmonetary and monetary solutions to human needs, their social implications are profound. Human life itself depends on service systems. Originality/value This commentary offers service researchers guidance in understanding services, in designing better services, and in pursuing collaborative solutions to service system problems.

scholarly journals Using the Kirkpatrick Model to evaluate the Maternity and Neonatal Emergencies (MANE) programme: Background and study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. e032873
Author(s):  
Meabh Cullinane ◽  
Helen L McLachlan ◽  
Michelle S Newton ◽  
Stefanie A Zugna ◽  
Della A Forster
Keyword(s):  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Rural Health ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Newborn Care ◽  
The State ◽  
Maternity Service ◽  
Consumer Experience ◽  
Service Staff

IntroductionOver 310 000 women gave birth in Australia in 2016, with approximately 80 000 births in the state of Victoria. While most of these births occur in metropolitan Melbourne and other large regional centres, a significant proportion of Victorian women birth in local rural health services. The Victorian state government recently mandated the provision of a maternal and neonatal emergency training programme, called Maternal and Newborn Emergencies (MANE), to rural and regional maternity service providers across the state. MANE aims to educate maternity and newborn care clinicians about recognising and responding to clinical deterioration in an effort to improve clinical outcomes. This paper describes the protocol for an evaluation of the MANE programme.Methods and analysisThis study will evaluate the effectiveness of MANE in relation to: clinician confidence, skills and knowledge; changes in teamwork and collaboration; and consumer experience and satisfaction, and will explore and describe any governance changes within the organisations after MANE implementation. The Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model will provide a framework for the evaluation. The participants of MANE, 27 rural and regional Victorian health services ranging in size from approximately 20 to 1000 births per year, will be invited to participate. Baseline data will be collected from maternity service staff and consumers at each health service before MANE delivery, and at four time-points post-MANE delivery. There will be four components to data collection: a survey of maternity services staff; follow-up interviews with Maternity Managers at health services 4 months after MANE delivery; consumer feedback from all health services collected through the Victorian Healthcare Experience Survey; case studies with five regional or rural health service providers.Ethics and disseminationThis evaluation has been approved by the La Trobe University Science, Health and Engineering College Human Ethics Sub-Committee. Findings will be presented to project stakeholders in a deidentified report, and disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

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