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1 – 9 of 9Siu Mee Cheng and Cristina Catallo
Rural regions in Canada are aging faster than urban centers, but access to health and social care is limited. Integrated health and social care (IHSC) through collaboration across…
Abstract
Purpose
Rural regions in Canada are aging faster than urban centers, but access to health and social care is limited. Integrated health and social care (IHSC) through collaboration across different health and social care organizations can support enhanced care for older adults living in rural regions. However, IHSC is not well understood within a rural Canadian context.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study of a Canadian IHSC initiative, Geriatric Assessment Program Collaboratory (GAPC), in northern Alberta was undertaken to understand how successful IHSC can occur in an urban/rural region. The study used key informant interviews and a focus group of representatives from the GAPC organizations.
Findings
Nine factors were identified that support GAPC: communications, information sharing, shared vision and goals, inter-organizational culture, diffused leadership, team-based approaches, dedicated resources, role clarity, champions and pre-existing relationships. Eight external influence factors were identified as influencing partnership including geography, strong sense of community, inter-sectoral work, public policy, governance authorities and structures, funding models, aging communities and operating within a not-for-profit (NFP) setting.
Originality/value
The study reveals insights into how IHSC can occur within a rural Canadian context. This study demonstrates that IHSC occurs at the local level and that primary care providers can drive IHSC successfully.
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Ingela Bäckström, Pernilla Ingelsson, Lilly-Mari Sten and Marie Häggström
The purpose of this study is to develop a model describing different factors that affect quality and efficiency in transitional care.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop a model describing different factors that affect quality and efficiency in transitional care.
Design/methodology/approach
A meta-synthesis focusing on the transitions between wards was conducted within a research project. The results from eight studies within that research project have been combined and analysed from a holistic view.
Findings
The findings are a model with a description of seven different categories consisting of the identified factors affecting quality and efficiency in transitional care. Those categories are (1) learning organisation, (2) standardising and structuring, (3) applying a holistic view, (4) understanding organisational culture in a health care context, (5) management and leadership, (6) for whom value is created and (7) working together. The results from the study have been verified in previous research.
Research limitations/implications
The result of the completed meta-synthesis is based on studies conducted at two medium-sized hospitals in Sweden. The developed model can be used in a similar context to improve quality and efficiency in patient transfers by management and employees working based on the various factors.
Originality/value
This model describes factors (success factors, prerequisites, conditions and lack thereof) affecting the ability to achieve quality and efficiency in transitional care that can be used in future research as well as for practical improvements.
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Angela Crocker, Jill Titterington and Michelle Tennyson
This study aims to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of dysphagia among adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) referred to speech and language therapy for swallow…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of dysphagia among adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) referred to speech and language therapy for swallow assessment, providing information on the demographic characteristics, referral trends, co-occurring health conditions and reasons for referrals highlighting the complex health-care needs of this population.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a standardised patient data extraction method over a six-month period involving 74 adults with ID referred to speech and language therapy for swallow assessment.
Findings
This study revealed a high prevalence of dysphagia among adults with ID referred to speech and language therapy for swallow assessment. Increasing age and severity of ID were associated with an increased likelihood of swallowing difficulties. Co-occurring health conditions such as mobility difficulties, epilepsy and gastrointestinal conditions were prevalent, suggesting that adults with ID and swallowing difficulties are often living with complex health conditions. Choking incidents and hospital admissions were primary reasons for referral.
Research limitations/implications
This study stresses the pressing need for strategies to mitigate risks associated with choking incidents and hospital admission among this vulnerable population. Possible limitations include a reliance on referral and the focus being on a single service over a short period which may limit generalisation to the wider ID population.
Practical implications
This study emphasises the need to understand each person’s unique profile of health needs and the value of a specialised speech and language therapy service.
Social implications
The importance of increasing awareness among caregivers and medical experts is highlighted.
Originality/value
The findings underscore the importance of tailored assessment, caregiver involvement and heightened interdisciplinary awareness to effectively manage dysphagia in individuals with ID.
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Fariba Hosseinpour, Mahyar Seddighi, Mohammad Amerzadeh and Sima Rafiei
This study aimed to compare mortality rate, length of stay (LOS) and hospitalization costs at different priority levels for a patient admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) at a…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to compare mortality rate, length of stay (LOS) and hospitalization costs at different priority levels for a patient admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) at a public tertiary hospital in Qazvin, Iran. This study also aimed to predict influencing factors on patients’ mortality, ICU LOS and hospitalization costs in different admission groups.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study among patients who mainly suffered from internal diseases admitted to an ICU of a public hospital. This study was conducted among 127 patients admitted to ICU from July to September 2019. The authors categorized patients into four groups based on two crucial hemodynamic and respiratory status criteria. The authors used a logistic regression model to predict the likelihood of mortality in ICU admitted patients during hospitalizations for the four prioritization groups. Furthermore, the authors conducted a multivariate analysis using the “enter” method to identify risk factors for LOS.
Findings
Results showed a statistically significant relationship between the priority of being admitted to ICU and hospitalization costs. The authors’ findings revealed that age, LOS and levels of consciousness had a predictability role in determining in-hospital mortality. Besides, age, gender, consciousness level of patients and type of the disease were mentioned as affecting factors of LOS.
Originality/value
This study’s findings emphasize the necessity of categorizing patients according to specific criteria to efficiently use available resources to help health-care authorities reduce the costs and allocate the budget to different health sectors.
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Rajat Kumar Behera, Pradip Kumar Bala, Prabin Kumar Panigrahi and Shilpee A. Dasgupta
Despite technological advancements to enhance patient health, the risks of not discovering the correct interactions and trends in digital health are high. Hence, a careful policy…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite technological advancements to enhance patient health, the risks of not discovering the correct interactions and trends in digital health are high. Hence, a careful policy is required for health coverage tailored to needs and capacity. Therefore, this study aims to explore the adoption of a cognitive computing decision support system (CCDSS) in the assessment of health-care policymaking and validates it by extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted to collect data from different stakeholders, referred to as the 4Ps, namely, patients, providers, payors and policymakers. Structural equation modelling and one-way ANOVA were used to analyse the data.
Findings
The result reveals that the behavioural insight of policymakers towards the assessment of health-care policymaking is based on automatic and reflective systems. Investments in CCDSS for policymaking assessment have the potential to produce rational outcomes. CCDSS, built with quality procedures, can validate whether breastfeeding-supporting policies are mother-friendly.
Research limitations/implications
Health-care policies are used by lawmakers to safeguard and improve public health, but it has always been a challenge. With the adoption of CCDSS, the overall goal of health-care policymaking can achieve better quality standards and improve the design of policymaking.
Originality/value
This study drew attention to how CCDSS as a technology enabler can drive health-care policymaking assessment for each stage and how the technology enabler can help the 4Ps of health-care gain insight into the benefits and potential value of CCDSS by demonstrating the breastfeeding supporting policy.
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Rachael Millard and M. Bilal Akbar
This paper aims to understand what reflexivity means and explores which types of reflexivity could be applied within social marketing practice as a critical approach to overcoming…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to understand what reflexivity means and explores which types of reflexivity could be applied within social marketing practice as a critical approach to overcoming failures.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is a critical literature review.
Findings
The study proposes a typology for a reflexive approach to social marketing practice to overcome failures. The typology is built on self and critical reflexivity, simultaneously allowing social marketers to reflect on external and internal factors that may affect the individual's role and could negatively affect social marketing practice unless otherwise considered. The types of reflexivity discussed are not prescriptive; instead, the authors intend to provoke further discussion on an under-researched but vital area of social marketing.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed typology is conceptual; an empirical investigation to gain social marketer's views would further enhance the effectiveness of the applications of the typology.
Practical implications
Social marketers could use the proposed typology for future practice.
Originality/value
This is the first study that conceptualises various types of reflexivity within social marketing practice to overcome failures.
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M. Bilal Akbar, Nihar Amoncar, Erik Cateriano-Arévalo and Alison Lawson
Given the lack of understanding of social marketing success in theory and practice, this study aims to investigate how social marketing experts conceptualize success.
Abstract
Purpose
Given the lack of understanding of social marketing success in theory and practice, this study aims to investigate how social marketing experts conceptualize success.
Design/methodology/approach
In this qualitative study, the authors conducted an open-ended online questionnaire with 48 worldwide social marketing experts, most with more than 20 years of experience in the field. The authors analyzed data using topic modeling, a machine-learning method that groups responses/terms into cluster topics based on similarities. Keywords in each topic served to generate themes for discussion.
Findings
While behavior change is mentioned as paramount to conceptualizing success, participants prefer to use more tangible and less complex forms to define/measure success, such as campaign recall uptick. In addition, lack of funding was considered an important factor in measuring success. This study provides a two-stage taxonomy to better understand success in social marketing.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to conceptualize success in social marketing practice.
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Amy B.C. Tan, Desirée H. van Dun and Celeste P.M. Wilderom
With the growing need for employees to be innovative, public-sector organizations are investing in employee training. This study aims to examine the effects of a combined Lean Six…
Abstract
Purpose
With the growing need for employees to be innovative, public-sector organizations are investing in employee training. This study aims to examine the effects of a combined Lean Six Sigma and innovation training, using action learning, on public-sector employees’ creative role identity and innovative work behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors studied a public service agency in Singapore in which a five-day Lean Innovation Training was implemented, using a combination of Lean Six Sigma and Creative Problem-Solving tools, with a simulation on day one and subsequent team-based project coaching, spread over six months. The authors administered pre- and postintervention surveys among all the employees, and initiated group interviews and observations before, during and after the intervention.
Findings
Creative role identity and innovative work behavior had significantly improved six months after the intervention, enabled through senior management’s transformational leadership. The training induced managers to role-model innovative work behaviors while cocreating, with their employees, a renewal of their agency’s core processes. The three completed improvement projects contributed to an innovative work culture and reduced service turnaround time.
Originality/value
Starting with a role-playing simulation on the first day, during which leaders and followers swapped roles, the action-learning type training taught all the organizational members to use various Lean Six Sigma and Creative Problem-Solving tools. This nimble Lean Innovation Training, and subsequent team-based project coaching, exemplifies how advancing the staff’s creative role identity can have a positive impact.
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