Changing realities and entrenched norms in dialysis: A case study of power, knowledge, and communication in health-care delivery

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 195-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katariina Silander ◽  
Paulus Torkki ◽  
Antti Peltokorpi ◽  
Aino Lepäntalo ◽  
Maija Tarkkanen ◽  
...  

Background Modularisation is a potential means to develop health care delivery by combining standardisation and customisation. However, little is known about the effects of modularisation on hospital care. The objective was to analyse how modularisation may change and support health care delivery in specialised hospital care. Methods A mixed methods case study methodology was applied using both qualitative and quantitative data, including interviews, field notes, documents, service usage data, bed count and personnel resource data. Data from a reference hospital’s unit were used to understand the context and development of care delivery in general. Results The following outcome themes were identified from the interviews: balance between demand and supply; support in shift from inpatient to outpatient care; shorter treatment times and improved management of service production. Modularisation supported the shift from inpatient towards outpatient care. Changes in resource efficiency measures were both positive and negative; the number of patients per personnel decreased, while the number of visits per personnel and the bed utilisation rate increased. Conclusions Modularisation may support health care providers in classifying patients and delivering services according to patients’ needs. However, as the findings are based on a single university hospital case study, more research is needed.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1357633X2094139
Author(s):  
Jason Sherwin ◽  
Katharine Lawrence ◽  
Veronica Gragnano ◽  
Paul A Testa

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has accelerated the drive of health-care delivery towards virtual-care platforms. While the potential of virtual care is significant, there are challenges to the implementation and scalability of virtual care as a platform, and health-care organisations are at risk of building and deploying non-strategic, costly or unsustainable virtual-health systems. In this article, we share the NYU Langone Health enterprise approach to building and scaling an integrated virtual-health platform prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and offer lessons learned and recommendations for health systems that need to undertake or are currently undertaking the transition to virtual-care delivery.


Author(s):  
Vhumani Magezi

The role of churches in primary health care delivery in Africa’s poor contexts is widely acknowledged. Discussion of churches’ work in health largely focuses on the spiritual side and tends to downplay (or overlook) the practical side. A clear challenge and gap in the role of churches in primary health delivery is the lack of clear models and approaches to determine the efficacy of the interventions. Hence, the role of churches as a player in the delivery of primary health care needs examination. This paper examines the role of church-driven primary health care, using a practical case study of the health work of the Salvation Army in East Africa. It outlines the primary health services rendered by the Salvation Army and deduces five models that emerged from the work of the various implementing churches in delivering primary health care. The article proceeds from an analysis of the meaning of primary health care and how churches are historically and currently positioned to contribute to primary health care. The article demonstrates that, viewed from a primary health care delivery perspective, churches in Africa play a critical practical contribution further to a spiritual role. From a practical theology perspective, the paper provides insight into how churches could operate in communities within the interface of church and health spaces. However, the church’s role and function is organic and differs in every community.


2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 262-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin D. Rehm ◽  
Melinda E. Marquez ◽  
Elizabeth Spurrell-Huss ◽  
Nicole Hollingsworth ◽  
Amanda S. Parsons

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Costanza

Purpose Patient organizations (POs) belong to the non-profit world and carry on several activities alongside health care. However, literature devotes scarce attention to POs’ management specificities in the interaction with health-care delivery. This paper aims to describe the contribution of POs to health care from an operational point of view; investigate the effect of POs’ managerial choices on health-care performance; and provide useful insights for patient organizations and health-care management. Design/methodology/approach The paper combines qualitative case study research and system dynamics (SD). After a literature review about patient organizations’ role, modeling steps are described. In first place, the analyses of institutional documents, interviews and observations are condensed in a stock-and-flow diagram. The latter is translated into a set of differential equations to simulate the effect of alternative resource allocations. Findings The case study emphasizes PO’s educational and administrative role in supporting health-care delivery. Simulated policy scenarios, while confirming the positive contribution of patient co-created health, disclose potential divergencies in public and private/third sector decision-making, to be read considering key feedback mechanisms within the system. Originality/value This study proposes a holistic view of patient organizations’ engagement in health care. The findings highlight synergies and trade-offs of alternative managerial decisions involving POs and health-care providers, disclosing the benefits of joint resource planning.


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