Challenges and enablers of the embedded researcher model
Journal of Health Organization and Management
ISSN: 1477-7266
Article publication date: 15 September 2020
Issue publication date: 26 September 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The embedded researcher is a healthcare-academic partnership model in which the researcher is engaged as a core member of the healthcare organisation. While this model has potential to support evidence translation, there is a paucity of evidence in relation to the specific challenges and strengths of the model. The aim of this study was to map the barriers and enablers of the model from the perspective of embedded researchers in Australian healthcare settings, and compare the responses of embedded researchers with a primary healthcare versus a primary academic affiliation.
Design/methodology/approach
104 embedded researchers from Australian healthcare organisations completed an online survey. Both purposive and snowball sampling strategies were used to identify current and former embedded researchers. This paper reports on responses to the open-ended questions in relation to barriers and enablers of the role, the available support, and recommendations for change. Thematic analysis was used to describe and interpret the breadth and depth of responses and common themes.
Findings
Key barriers to being an embedded researcher in a public hospital included a lack of research infrastructure and funding in the healthcare organisation, a culture that does not value research, a lack of leadership and support to undertake research, limited access to mentoring and career progression and issues associated with having a dual affiliation. Key enablers included supportive colleagues and executive leaders, personal commitment to research and research collaboration including formal health-academic partnerships.
Research limitations/implications
To support the embedded researcher model, broader system changes are required, including greater investment in research infrastructure and healthcare-academic partnerships with formal agreements. Significant changes are required, so that healthcare organisations appreciate the value of research and support both clinicians and researchers to engage in research that is important to their local population.
Originality/value
This is the first study to systematically investigate the enablers and challenges of the embedded researcher model.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Author Agreement: The article is the authors’ original work, has not received prior publication and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. DC and SM designed the study, collected data, and analysed the results. DC drafted the manuscript, and DC and SM contributed to revisions of the manuscript and have read and approved the final version of this manuscript submitted.Ethical Statement: Ethics approval for this study was received by University of Technology Sydney human research ethics committee (HREC reference number ETH18–2901). The study conforms to the provisions of the Declaration of Helsinki. Respondents provided informed consent.Conflict of Interest: We have no conflicts of interest to declare.Availability of data and materials: The datasets generated during the current study are not publicly available as some of the qualitative responses include potentially identifiable information. However, the dataset can be made available from the corresponding author on reasonable request when we will remove those responses.Funding: Funding for this study was received from Maridulu Budyari Gumal, the Sydney Partnership for Health, Education, Research and Enterprise (SPHERE).
Citation
Coates, D. and Mickan, S. (2020), "Challenges and enablers of the embedded researcher model", Journal of Health Organization and Management, Vol. 34 No. 7, pp. 743-764. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-02-2020-0043
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited