Stefano Villa, Raimondo De Cristofaro, Giovanni Di Minno, Simone Laratro, Flora Peyvandi, Lara Pippo, Sara Villa, Antonio G De Belvis
{"title":"Design organization and clinical processes around patient characteristics: Evidence from a multiple case study of Hemophilia.","authors":"Stefano Villa, Raimondo De Cristofaro, Giovanni Di Minno, Simone Laratro, Flora Peyvandi, Lara Pippo, Sara Villa, Antonio G De Belvis","doi":"10.1177/09514848241231585","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09514848241231585","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> There is growing evidence of the relevance of designing organization of care around patient characteristics; this is especially true in the case of complex chronic diseases.<b>Purpose:</b> The goal of the paper - that focuses on the analysis of the clinical condition hemophilia in three different centers - is to address two different research questions:1. How can we define, within the same clinical condition, different patient profiles homogeneous in terms of intensity of service required (e.g. number of visits or diagnostics)? 2. What are the conditions to re-organize care around these patient profiles in a multidisciplinary and coordinated manner?<b>Research design:</b> The authors have used a multiple case study approach combining both qualitative and quantitative methodologies; in particularly the semi-structured interviews and the direct observation were aimed to map the process in order to come up with an estimate of the cost of the full cycle of care.<b>Study sample:</b> The research methodology has been applied consistently in three different centers. The selection of the structures has been based on two main different criteria: (i) high standards regarding both organizational and clinical aspects and (ii) willingness from management, nurses and physicians to provide data.<b>Results:</b> The study clearly shows that different patient profiles - within the same clinical condition - trigger a different set of diagnostic and therapeutic activities. It is, thus, important considering patient characteristics in the development and implementation of clinical pathways and this will imply relevant differences in terms of organizational and economic impact.<b>Conclusions:</b> These process-based analyses are very much critical especially if we want to move to a bundled and integrated payment system but, as shown by this study itself, require a lot of time and efforts since our healthcare information systems are still fragmented and vertically designed.</p>","PeriodicalId":45801,"journal":{"name":"Health Services Management Research","volume":" ","pages":"10-21"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139736370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Giovanni Fattore, Michela Bobini, Francesca Meda, Benedetta Pongiglione, Luca Baldino, Stefano Gandolfi, Licia Confalonieri, Manuela Proietto, Stefano Vecchia, Luigi Cavanna
{"title":"Reducing the burden of travel and environmental impact through decentralization of cancer care.","authors":"Giovanni Fattore, Michela Bobini, Francesca Meda, Benedetta Pongiglione, Luca Baldino, Stefano Gandolfi, Licia Confalonieri, Manuela Proietto, Stefano Vecchia, Luigi Cavanna","doi":"10.1177/09514848241229564","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09514848241229564","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Life expectancy, quality of life and satisfaction of oncologic patients highly depend on access to adequate specialized services, that consider their conditions in a holistic way. The present study aims to evaluate the introduction of oncology services in an outpatient setting in a mountain village in Northern Italy. The initiative is evaluated using the three pillars of sustainability (social, economic and environmental) as dimensions that are often overlooked by healthcare policy makers. Using micro data on 18,625 interventions, we estimate the number of kilometers saved by patients (reduction of \"travel burden\" as indicator of social sustainability), the additional travel costs for the NHS (indicator of economic sustainability) and the implied reduction of CO<sub>2</sub> emissions (indicator of environmental sustainability). Over the period July 2016-2021, the decentralized health center delivered 2,292 interventions saving 218,566 km for a corresponding value of €131,140. The additional costs for the NHS was €26,152. The reduction of CO<sub>2</sub> emissions was 32.37 Tons (€5,989). Overall, the socio-economic benefit of reducing travel of care for the patients residing in this remote valley was €110,976. This study adds original understanding of the benefits of decentralizing oncologic care and shows its operational feasibility conditions. Given the modest number of similar projects, it provides evidence to policy makers and, especially, managers who are faced with the challenge to implement the decentralization of specialized services.</p>","PeriodicalId":45801,"journal":{"name":"Health Services Management Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139673227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Antoni Peris Grao, Núria Freixenet, Toni Mora, David Roche
{"title":"Primary care team reorganisation after the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. Differences between Catalonia and Spain in the PRICOV study.","authors":"Antoni Peris Grao, Núria Freixenet, Toni Mora, David Roche","doi":"10.1177/09514848241265784","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09514848241265784","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Spanish primary care services are managed differently by each region's authorities. Catalonia started its services provision and design nearly two decades before other Spanish regions and developed nurses' roles and task shifting in primary care.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This work identifies differences in the Europe PRICOV-19 study answers between Catalonia and those submitted from the rest of Spain regarding how primary care teams (PCT) were organised during the SARS-CoV-2-2019 pandemic, how tasks and roles changed, and the pandemic's impact on the care providers. Initially, we computed bivariate relationships and tested using contingency association and unpaired Wilcoxon.</p><p><strong>Analysis: </strong>Still, we estimated multiple linear regressions controlling with a list of individual and GP practice characteristics and clustering standard errors at the kind of location.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Main statistically significant differences were found in the adaptation to the new tasks, the ability to solve most health problems, and specific accessibilities to primary care. In Catalonia, satisfaction with the adaptation to the new tasks was higher (41.9% satisfied and 30.2% neutral) than in the rest of Spain (50.9% dissatisfaction). Also, GPs in Catalonia reported to a greater extent than the rest of Spain that chronic patients were listed for extensive follow-up. These differences may be related to Catalonia's strategy for empowering primary care professionals other than family doctors.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Considering future pandemics, demographic ageing, and professional shortages, we point out the potential benefits of these changes in PCT organisations and the need to review the centres's design.</p>","PeriodicalId":45801,"journal":{"name":"Health Services Management Research","volume":" ","pages":"31-36"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141735262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Allyson L Varley, Trudi Venters Horton, Maria Pisu, Raegan W Durant, Michael J Mugavero, Andrea L Cherrington, Kevin R Riggs
{"title":"Towards a shared understanding of the learning health system in a large academic-based health system: A qualitative analysis.","authors":"Allyson L Varley, Trudi Venters Horton, Maria Pisu, Raegan W Durant, Michael J Mugavero, Andrea L Cherrington, Kevin R Riggs","doi":"10.1177/09514848241254928","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09514848241254928","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Healthcare delivery is currently undergoing major structural reform, and the Learning Health System (LHS) has been proposed as an aspirational model to guide healthcare transformation. As efforts to build LHS take considerable investment from health systems, it is critical to understand their leaders' perspectives on the rationale for pursuing an LHS and the potential benefits for doing so. This paper describes the qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews (<i>n</i> = 17) with health system leaders about their general perceptions of the LHS, description of key attributes and potential benefits, and perception of barriers to and facilitators for advancing the model. Participants universally endorsed the goal of the local health system aspiring to become an LHS. Participants identified many recognized attributes of LHS, though they emphasized unique attributes and potential benefits. There was also heterogeneity in participants' views on what to prioritize, how to structure the local LHS within existing initiatives, and how new initiatives should be implemented. Improving conceptual clarity of attributes of the LHS would improve its potential in guiding future reform.</p>","PeriodicalId":45801,"journal":{"name":"Health Services Management Research","volume":" ","pages":"22-30"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140945325","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Susanna Friman, Riikka Maijala, Sini Eloranta, Sakari Suominen, Tuija Ikonen
{"title":"The characteristics of leadership and their effectiveness in quality management in healthcare - A systematic literature review and a content analysis.","authors":"Susanna Friman, Riikka Maijala, Sini Eloranta, Sakari Suominen, Tuija Ikonen","doi":"10.1177/09514848241254921","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09514848241254921","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Effective quality leadership is identified as a critical factor for organisational success. Leadership style has an important role in the implementation of quality management. This systematic review describes the characteristics of leadership in quality management in healthcare, and analyses their association with successful or unsuccessful quality management by using content analysis. Papers published in peer-reviewed journals between 2011 and June 2023 were selected by exploring the Abi/Inform, Business Source Complete, Cinahl, Pubmed and Web of Science electronic databases. Altogether 3014 records were found. PRISMA-protocol was used for selection of studies. 12 original and three review articles were included. Six leadership characteristics were identified that were linked to successful or unsuccessful implementation of quality management. The six categories were strategic, knowledge-oriented, value-based, supportive, participatory and communicative leadership. Supercategories and subcategories of successful and unsuccessful implementation are described. The results can be used to identify the leadership characteristics that promote successful quality management in healthcare organisations. In education for leaders and managers, attention should be in the characteristics and style of leadership and their impact on the effectiveness of quality management.</p>","PeriodicalId":45801,"journal":{"name":"Health Services Management Research","volume":" ","pages":"37-49"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140923642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Valerio Brescia, Francesco Cavarra, Maura Campra, Paolo Boffano, Vincenzo Rocchetti
{"title":"Bibliometric analysis and trends related to dental tourism: Qualitative, social, economic and ethical implications.","authors":"Valerio Brescia, Francesco Cavarra, Maura Campra, Paolo Boffano, Vincenzo Rocchetti","doi":"10.1177/09514848251314111","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09514848251314111","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article delves into the multifaceted realm of dental tourism, scrutinizing patient incentives, economic ramifications, and ethical aspects. An in-depth 2023 analysis discerns research gaps, underscoring the necessity for a more exhaustive investigation to enrich the understanding of the global oral healthcare landscape. Utilizing bibliometric analysis method, the study examines the worldwide trajectory of scientific publications on dental tourism. Employing Scopus, it dissects document types, annual production, authorship, and international collaborations. The results spotlight microvariables derived from Saxena, Deheriya, Datla's macrovariables, unveiling influencers on dental tourism, ranging from social and economic to cultural factors. The study advocates for defined bilateral agreements to ensure quality care and stresses ethical considerations, emphasizing shared standards and legal implications. Economic ramifications, both positive and negative, are discussed, with an expanding global focus on dental tourism evident. In conclusion, the study accentuates micro variables, signaling avenues for future research.</p>","PeriodicalId":45801,"journal":{"name":"Health Services Management Research","volume":" ","pages":"9514848251314111"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143013820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Lack of hospital resilience as the main challenge of hospital management during the COVID-19 pandemic: A grounded theory study.","authors":"Sulmaz Ghahramani, Kamran Bagheri Lankarani, Mohammadreza Zakeri, Sahar Ghahramani, Payam Shojaei","doi":"10.1177/09514848241309285","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09514848241309285","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Traditional hospital management responses during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic proved ineffective, particularly considering the pre-existing challenges in healthcare systems. The study examines hospital management challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, transforming their lived experiences into a conceptual approach to prevent repetition and benefit health planners and policymakers in future crises and normal times.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This qualitative study utilized the grounded theory methodology, conducting in-depth interviews with 12 hospital administrators from seven major referral hospitals in Shiraz, Bushehr, and Tehran, focusing on COVID-19 patients' complex conditions. The participants had a mean age of 46.6 ± 8.8 years. Data analysis was conducted using the grounded theory (Straussian approach).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 98 subthemes and 25 themes were identified during the data analysis process. Using axial and selective coding, we found that in the presence of contextual and causal conditions, the lack of hospital resilience was recognized as the core theme in the final model. Intervening conditions, strategies to overcome the challenges of hospital management, and the outcomes were identified.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Iranian hospital administrators dealing with COVID-19 recognize the lack of hospital resilience as their main management obstacle. Non-resilient hospitals' response to crises with new management strategies can fail due to insufficient documentation and information sharing, leading to persistent problems. Prioritizing evidence-based strategies and sharing successful approaches from other healthcare systems can improve resilience. Nationwide guidelines will ensure equitable patient treatment and reduce lawsuits against physicians for resource-efficient use. Hospital resilience implementation in real-world settings is widely sought for evidence.</p>","PeriodicalId":45801,"journal":{"name":"Health Services Management Research","volume":" ","pages":"9514848241309285"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142877134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anu Vehkamäki, Märt Vesinurm, Riina-Riitta Helminen, Olli Halminen, Paul Lillrank
{"title":"Causes of care discontinuity in chronic outpatient care: A mixed method case study.","authors":"Anu Vehkamäki, Märt Vesinurm, Riina-Riitta Helminen, Olli Halminen, Paul Lillrank","doi":"10.1177/09514848241307183","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09514848241307183","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>While health systems are primarily designed for acute health issues, managing life-long conditions often results in chronic care discontinuity. This refers to situations where a chronic patient's planned care fails to actualise.</p><p><strong>Research design: </strong>This study descriptively explores the reasons behind chronic care discontinuity in outpatient care.</p><p><strong>Data collection: </strong>Data was collected via interviews and a focus group with healthcare professionals, and a patient survey specifically targeting chronic abdominal patients.</p><p><strong>Analysis: </strong>Using grounded theorising the Discontinuity of Chronic Care (DoCC) framework was developed, to identify and categorise reasons behind chronic care discontinuity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The framework reveals that reasons for discontinuity can be largely divided into healthcare system related factors-including caregiver, technological, and process challenges-and patient-related factors such as situational and internal psychological challenges.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The DoCC-framework provides a valuable tool for analysing various patient processes, offering healthcare managers insights to improve the management of chronic patient journeys. Additionally, it guides healthcare professionals to better focus their development efforts on challenges they have the capacity to address.</p>","PeriodicalId":45801,"journal":{"name":"Health Services Management Research","volume":" ","pages":"9514848241307183"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142847949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sofia Longhi, Chiara Seghieri, Francesca Ferrè, Lorenzo Taddeucci, Sabina Nuti
{"title":"Exploring collaborative practices for chronic disease management: Results from a new survey to primary care physicians and specialists in Italy.","authors":"Sofia Longhi, Chiara Seghieri, Francesca Ferrè, Lorenzo Taddeucci, Sabina Nuti","doi":"10.1177/09514848241304634","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09514848241304634","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent a global health challenge that requires coordination across various healthcare settings.<b>Purpose:</b> This study in Tuscany, Italy, investigates professional integration between primary care physicians (PCPs) and specialists in NCD management.<b>Research Design:</b> A self-developed survey was used to explore professionals' views on clinical and organizational collaboration, accountability, and service improvement.<b>Study Sample:</b> The study involved primary care physicians (PCPs) and specialists working in the field of NCD management.<b>Data Collection and/or Analysis:</b> The survey gathered data on professionals' perceptions of clinical protocol use, care integration effectiveness, and other aspects of collaboration in NCD management.<b>Results:</b> Findings reveal disparities between PCPs and specialists in clinical protocol use and care integration effectiveness.<b>Conclusions:</b> The study emphasizes the need to reduce bureaucratic obstacles and enhance information sharing. Promoting peer relationships and innovative performance evaluation tools is vital for improving chronic disease management. This survey contributes valuable insights for the development of integrated care models, aiding healthcare decision-makers in enhancing chronic care system performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":45801,"journal":{"name":"Health Services Management Research","volume":" ","pages":"9514848241304634"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142787117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hybrid managers in an evolving healthcare: Does gender matter?","authors":"Marco Sartirana, Roberta Montanelli","doi":"10.1177/09514848241295584","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09514848241295584","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Hybrid managers have the potential to respond to the need for more integrated, responsive and accountable healthcare. Scholars have studied the antecedents of hybridization, but the role of gender has been neglected. Therefore, we study whether and how gender impacts on the way in which medical professionals exercise their managerial role.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We adopted a qualitative approach in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the specificities of women hybrids. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, focusing on hybrids in Italy in the field of neurology.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found that women hybrids show specific abilities and motivations, but they also encounter a specific lack of opportunities. Women hybrid managers appear well positioned to foster the evolution of professionalism, but healthcare organizations should implement policies and practices to effectively support them.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>While existing research has treated hybrid managers as a homogenous group, we underline the specificities of women hybrids. They can support the evolution of healthcare organizations towards logics of service integration, user centricity, and staff engagement. Therefore, our findings have important theoretical and practical implications for health policy and management.</p>","PeriodicalId":45801,"journal":{"name":"Health Services Management Research","volume":" ","pages":"9514848241295584"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142590898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}