Search results
1 – 10 of over 9000Liisa Lee, Mira Hammarén and Outi Kanste
To explore Finnish experts' perceptions of the forms of digital healthcare that are anticipated to be the most utilised in healthcare in the medium-term future (year 2035) and…
Abstract
Purpose
To explore Finnish experts' perceptions of the forms of digital healthcare that are anticipated to be the most utilised in healthcare in the medium-term future (year 2035) and anticipated healthcare workforce impacts those forms will have.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 17 experts representing relevant interest groups participated in a biphasic online Delphi study. The results for each round were analysed using descriptive statistical methods and inductive content analysis.
Findings
The forms of digital healthcare that the experts perceived as most likely to be utilised were those enabling patient participation, efficient organisation of services and automated data collection and analysis. The main impacts on the healthcare workforce were seen as being the redirection of workforce needs within the healthcare sector and need for new skills and new professions. The decrease in the need for a healthcare workforce was seen as less likely. The impacts were perceived as being constructed through three means: impacts within healthcare organisations, impacts on healthcare professions and impacts via patients.
Research limitations/implications
The results are not necessarily transferable to other contexts because the experts anticipated local futures. Patients' views were also excluded from the study.
Originality/value
Healthcare organisations function in complex systems where drivers, such as regional demographics, legislation and financial constraints, dictate how digital healthcare is utilised. Anticipating the workforce effects of digital healthcare utilisation has received limited attention; the study adds to this discussion.
Details
Keywords
Sarah Wise, Christine Duffield, Margaret Fry and Michael Roche
The desirability of having a more flexible workforce is emphasised across many health systems yet this goal is as ambiguous as it is ubiquitous. In the absence of empirical…
Abstract
Purpose
The desirability of having a more flexible workforce is emphasised across many health systems yet this goal is as ambiguous as it is ubiquitous. In the absence of empirical studies in healthcare that have defined flexibility as an outcome, the purpose of this paper is to draw on classic management and sociological theory to reduce this ambiguity.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses the Weberian tool of “ideal types”. Key workforce reforms are held against Atkinson’s model of functional flexibility which aims to increase responsiveness and adaptability through multiskilling, autonomy and teams; and Taylorism which seeks stability and reduced costs through specialisation, fragmentation and management control.
Findings
Appeals to an amorphous goal of increasing workforce flexibility make an assumption that any reform will increase flexibility. However, this paper finds that the work of healthcare professionals already displays most of the essential features of functional flexibility but many widespread reforms are shifting healthcare work in a Taylorist direction. This contradiction is symptomatic of a failure to confront inevitable trade-offs in reform: between the benefits of specialisation and the costs of fragmentation; and between management control and professional autonomy.
Originality/value
The paper questions the conventional conception of “the problem” of workforce reform as primarily one of professional control over tasks. Holding reforms against the ideal types of Taylorism and functional flexibility is a simple, effective way the costs and benefits of workforce reform can be revealed.
Details
Keywords
Olusegun Emmanuel Akinwale and Olusoji James George
The mass exodus of the professional healthcare workforce has become a cankerworm for a developing nation like Nigeria, and this worsens the already depleted healthcare systems in…
Abstract
Purpose
The mass exodus of the professional healthcare workforce has become a cankerworm for a developing nation like Nigeria, and this worsens the already depleted healthcare systems in underdeveloped nation. This study investigated the rationale behind medical workers' brain-drain syndrome and the quality healthcare delivery in the Nigerian public healthcare sector.
Design/methodology/approach
To stimulate an understanding of the effect of the phenomenon called brain drain, the study adopted a diagnostic research design to survey the public healthcare personnel in government hospitals. The study administered a battery of adapted research scales of different measures to confirm the variables of interest of this study on a probability sampling strategy. The study surveyed 450 public healthcare sector employees from four government hospitals to gather pertinent data. The study used a structural equation model (SEM) and artificial neural networks (ANNs) to analyse the collected data from the medical personnel of government hospitals.
Findings
The findings of this study are significant as postulated. The study discovered that poor quality worklife experienced by Nigerian medical personnel was attributed to the brain-drain effect and poor healthcare delivery. The study further demonstrated that job dissatisfaction suffered among the public healthcare workforce forced the workforce to migrate to the international labour market, and this same factor is a reason for poor healthcare delivery. Lastly, the study discovered that inadequate remuneration and pay discouraged Nigerian professionals and allied healthcare workers from being productive and ultimately pushed them to the global market.
Originality/value
Practically, this study has shown three major elements that caused the mass movement of Nigerian healthcare personnel to other countries of the world and that seems novel given the peculiarity of the Nigerian labour market. The study is original and novel as much study has not been put forward in the public healthcare sector in Nigeria concerning this phenomenon.
Details
Keywords
Olusegun Emmanuel Akinwale and Owolabi Lateef Kuye
Healthcare management efficiency has become a golden goal in the operations of modern healthcare organisations across zones and cultures. This study aims to investigate five…
Abstract
Purpose
Healthcare management efficiency has become a golden goal in the operations of modern healthcare organisations across zones and cultures. This study aims to investigate five dimensions of Ouchi’s theory Z approach, mutual organisational trust, long-term employment/job security, employee participatory decision-making, employee well-being and generalised career path, concerning healthcare efficiency in government tertiary hospitals during COVID-19 period.
Design/methodology/approach
The probability sampling strategy was adopted among 300 participants of the hospitals in the healthcare workforce of the study population. The study adopted multiple scales on the identified variables of theory Z and employed principal component analysis to evaluate the components of Ouchi’s Theory Z in relation to healthcare efficiency among the workforce of tertiary hospitals in Lagos State, Nigeria.
Findings
The outcome of this study shows that all the dimensions were significantly related to healthcare efficiency in the study hospitals. It depicts that mutual trust among employees has a positive influence on the efficiency of healthcare management in government tertiary hospitals, and long-term employment opportunity has a significant impact on the efficiency of healthcare management in government tertiary hospitals. Employee participatory decision-making is essential to the efficiency of healthcare management in government tertiary hospitals. Employee well-being is fundamental to the efficiency of healthcare management in government tertiary hospitals. Generalised career path of healthcare personnel has a tremendous impact on the efficiency of healthcare management in government tertiary hospitals.
Research limitations/implications
This study is limited to healthcare employees in Lagos State, Nigeria. The implication is that as old as Ouchi’s theory, its relevance remains green in the heart of contemporary organisations today even in healthcare facilities in Nigeria which aids the management of the global pandemic, COVID-19 outbreak.
Originality/value
The study shows that Ouchi’s theory Z approach that combines the Japanese and American patterns of organisational management is highly relevant in the operations and management of government hospitals in Nigeria to date even in the era of COVID-19, the global pandemic season.
Details
Keywords
Selim Ahmed, Noor Hazilah Abd Manaf and Rafikul Islam
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) and workforce management on the quality performance of Malaysian hospitals. This paper also…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) and workforce management on the quality performance of Malaysian hospitals. This paper also investigates the direct and indirect relationships between top management commitment and quality performance of the healthcare organisations in Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach
This study applied stratified random sampling to collect data from 15 different hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia. The self-administered survey questionnaires were distributed among 673 hospital staff (i.e. doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and medical laboratory technologists) to obtain 335 useful responses with a 49.47 per cent valid response rate. The research data were analysed based on confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling by using AMOS version 23 software.
Findings
The research findings indicated that LSS and workforce management have a significant impact on quality performance of the Malaysian hospitals, whereas senior management commitment was found to have an insignificant relationship with quality performance. The research findings indicate that senior management commitment has no direct significant relationship with quality performance, but it has an indirect significant relationship with quality performance through the mediating effects of LSS and workforce management.
Research limitations/implications
This research focussed solely on healthcare organisations in Malaysia and thus the results might not be applicable for other countries as well as other service organisations.
Originality/value
This research provides theoretical, methodological, and practical contributions for the LSS approach and the research findings are expected to provide guidelines to enhance the level of quality performance in healthcare organisations in Malaysia as well as other countries.
Details
Keywords
Stephanie D. Short, Nikhil Hawal, Nasser Sai Albusaidi and Farah Purwaningrum
The purpose of this paper is to identify the elements of effective policies and processes to inform future health professional regulation reforms and practice in the Emirates.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the elements of effective policies and processes to inform future health professional regulation reforms and practice in the Emirates.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on qualitative exploratory methodology. Methods of data collection and analysis included document analysis of the relevant literature, newspapers (as featured on their online websites), policy documents and official statistics. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders, including employers in the health and higher education sectors in Ras Al Khaimah, human resources managers, regulators and public health professionals and scholars.
Findings
This paper brings to light the issues of maldistribution of the medical workforce, Emiritisation and examines implications for more effective medical workforce governance in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Originality/value
First, the study provides policy recommendations for medical workforce governance in the context of UAE. Next, empirical studies on health workforce governance in the Middle East’s Gulf Cooperation Council are lacking and primarily focus on the international mobility of expatriates. The study addresses the lack of empirical studies on this topic in the UAE. Third, the UAE is a fertile ground for research on medical workforce governance and, more broadly, the mobility of health professionals due to its economic diversification strategy and thriving medical tourism industry.
Details
Keywords
Salman Butt, Ahmed Raza, Rabia Siddiqui, Yasir Saleem, Bill Cook and Habib Khan
This literature review aims to assess the current research on healthcare job availability and skilled professionals. The objective of this research is to identify challenges…
Abstract
Purpose
This literature review aims to assess the current research on healthcare job availability and skilled professionals. The objective of this research is to identify challenges caused by the imbalance between healthcare service demand and qualified professionals and propose potential solutions and future research directions.
Design/methodology/approach
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method was employed as the guiding framework for conducting this review. A qualitative research design analyzed 38 peer-reviewed, evidence-based research works from 50 journal publications. Inclusion criteria focused on empirical studies, observational research and comprehensive reviews published within the last ten years. Thematic and discourse analysis categorized themes and factors explored in selected publications.
Findings
The findings highlight significant challenges in the healthcare sector regarding job availability and skilled professionals. Developed countries face understaffed healthcare facilities, resulting in increased workloads and compromised care. Developing countries experience high rates of unemployment among healthcare graduates due to limited resources and mentorship.
Practical implications
Improving educational infrastructure, expanding training opportunities and increasing healthcare investments are crucial for nurturing a skilled workforce. Implementing effective retention policies, fostering international collaborations and addressing socioeconomic determinants can create a sustainable job market.
Originality/value
The healthcare sector faces critical challenges in balancing job availability and skilled professionals. Strategic solutions are proposed to create a sustainable and equitable healthcare workforce. By implementing recommendations and conducting further research, access to quality healthcare and global public health outcomes can be improved.
Details
Keywords
Shila Monazam Ebrahimpour, Fariborz Rahimnia, Alireza Pooya and Morteza Pakdaman
Workforce planning must answer how many workforces, in which positions, and talents, and when each organization is needed. To find the requirements workforce, organizations need…
Abstract
Purpose
Workforce planning must answer how many workforces, in which positions, and talents, and when each organization is needed. To find the requirements workforce, organizations need to know the organizational position and talents pools. Clarifying the number of workforces required in each pool requires attention to workforce flows, including hiring, promotion, degradation, horizontal movement, and exiting the organization. It is a dynamic issue and must be addressed over several periods over a specific duration, which adds to the complexity. According to the talent management presented in this research, all the above complex questions are answered by applying the optimal control (OC) model according to talent management presented in this research.
Design/methodology/approach
This research presents a dynamic model by using a linear-quadratic optimal control model, which was solved by Pontryagin's maximum principle, to achieve an optimal number of workforce requirements for each of the positions of nursing services manager, supervisor, head nurses and nurses in the health sector according to the required talents in each position.
Findings
The results have shown that the target value of workforce numbers has been achieved in the planning period, and the validation test and sensitivity analysis justified the model by reaching the workforce planning targets.
Originality/value
This study provides a dynamic model for achieving quantitative workforce planning targets; the model presented in this manuscript has included an important qualitative factor, namely workforce talents. According to the authors' review, there is no comprehensive research devoted to workforce planning through optimal control models by attention to workforces skills.
Details
Keywords
Abbeygail Jones, Shuo Zhang, Amy Woodburn, Sarah Dorrington, Alison Beck and Helen Winter
The health and well-being of healthcare staff came into focus during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as already strained workforces responded to new and…
Abstract
Purpose
The health and well-being of healthcare staff came into focus during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as already strained workforces responded to new and additional challenges. Organisational support services made efforts to adapt staff support provision. However, most literature and recommendations are centred on surveys of medical and clinical staff. The present study included staff across clinical and non-clinical workforces within a mental health trust over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic to date, and aimed to understand workforces' access to and experiences of organisational support.
Design/methodology/approach
The current study was a qualitative one using convenience and purposive sampling. Semi-structured individual and group interviews were conducted using a topic guide. Reflexive thematic analysis was used in a phenomenological framework to analyse data.
Findings
35 staff, broadly representative of the trust workforce, were recruited. Six global themes summarised the experiences of staff in relation to work practices, personal well-being and support access over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: COVID-19 disease, interpersonal relationships, individual considerations, change, working environment and support.
Practical implications
The findings from the study have implications for organisational support provisions for healthcare workers and the dissemination of these services.
Originality/value
Acknowledging the multi-various experiences of different workforces within National Healthcare Service organisations and how these change over time will facilitate innovative changes to staff support provision.
Details
Keywords
Bridget Rice, Nigel Martin, Peter Fieger and Taiba Hussain
Demographic changes involving a worldwide ageing population and later retirements produce a gradual ageing of the workforce and major concerns about how ageing may influence the…
Abstract
Purpose
Demographic changes involving a worldwide ageing population and later retirements produce a gradual ageing of the workforce and major concerns about how ageing may influence the workplace. This paper aims to provide evidence relating to older workers in healthcare settings in Australia.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a secondary quantitative dataset, the authors sub-sampled a group of workers in the healthcare sector. We used linear regression arrangement with hypotheses focused on the assessment of the significance of interaction or moderation effects relating to job characteristics and age on employee satisfaction.
Findings
The authors note that older workers' job satisfaction is negatively influenced by poor perceptions of job security and autonomy in how their work is carried out. Ensuring that older workers stay in the healthcare workforce is imperative as the work force ages. This paper shows that managing their job security and offering them work autonomy enhance their job satisfaction.
Research limitations/implications
The use of a secondary and cross-sectional dataset has some limitations relating to endogeneity, although these have been managed and assessed. The paper is based on a representative sample of Australian workers, and is thus generalisable within the Australian context, and will be informative elsewhere.
Practical implications
The focus on elements of flexibility for older workers (enhanced autonomy) and clearer job security elements is of practical relevance in the management of older workers.
Social implications
As the overall population ages, supporting older workers in their careers will be of increasing importance. In sectors with a disproportionate share of older workers, like health care, this imperative will come sooner, and the benefits of getting arrangements right be will higher.
Originality/value
No other paper has explored these specific relationships empirically that the authors are aware of. This work is original in terms of its assessment of questions of what second-order effects exist in predicting employee satisfaction among older workers.
Details