Understanding evidence-informed decision-making: a rural interorganizational breastfeeding network.

BACKGROUND: Networks are a vehicle for mobilizing knowledge, but there is little research about evidence-informed decision-making in community settings. Breastfeeding is a powerful intervention for population health; combined system and community interventions can increase exclusive breastfeeding rates by 2.5 times. This study examined evidence-informed decision-making within an interorganizational network, including the facilitators and barriers to achieving network goals. METHODS: A mixed method case study design was used. The primary sources of data were focus group discussion and questionnaire administration. Data were analyzed concurrently using framework analysis and social network analysis. RESULTS: Key findings were at the interorganizational and external levels: 1) Relationships and trust are connected to knowledge exchange 2) Need for multiple levels of leadership. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study have potential implications for enhancing the use of evidence-informed decision-making as other networks work toward Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) designation and also highlights the potential for network maps to be used as a knowledge mobilization tool.

A catalyst for system change: a case study of child health network formation, evolution and sustainability in Canada.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine key processes and supportive and inhibiting factors involved in the development, evolution, and sustainability of a child health network in rural Canada. This study contributes to a relatively new research agenda aimed at understanding inter-organizational and cross-sectoral health networks. These networks encourage collaboration focusing on complex issues impacting health - issues that individual agencies cannot effectively address alone. This paper presents an overview of the study findings. METHODS: An explanatory qualitative case study approach examined the Network's 13-year lifespan. Data sources were documents and Network members, including regional and 71 provincial senior managers from 11 child and youth service sectors. Data were collected through 34 individual interviews and a review of 127 documents. Interview data were analyzed using framework analysis methods; Prior's approach guided document analysis. RESULTS: Three themes related to network development, evolution and sustainability were identified: (a) Network relationships as system triggers, (b) Network-mediated system responsiveness, and (c) Network practice as political. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings have important implications for network organizational development, collaborative practice, interprofessional education, public policy, and public system responsiveness research. Findings suggest it is important to explicitly focus on relationships and multi-level socio-political contexts, such as supportive policy environments, in understanding health networks. The dynamic interplay among the Network members; central supportive and inhibiting factors; and micro-, meso-, and macro-organizational contexts was identified.

Swimming against the tide: A Canadian qualitative study examining the implementation of a province-wide public health initiative to address health equity.

BACKGROUND: Effectively addressing the social determinants of health and health equity are critical yet still-emerging areas of public health practice. This is significant for contemporary practice as the egregious impacts of health inequities on health outcomes continue to be revealed. More public health organizations seek to augment internal organizational capacity to address health equity while the evidence base to inform such leadership is in its infancy. The purpose of this paper is to report on findings of a study examining key factors influencing the development and implementation of the social determinants of health public health nurse (SDH-PHN) role in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: A descriptive qualitative case study approach examined the first Canadian province-wide initiative to add SDH-PHNs to each public health unit. Data sources were documents and staff from public health units (i.e., SDH-PHNs, Managers, Directors, Chief Nursing Officers, Medical Officers of Health) as well as external stakeholders. Data were collected through 42 individual interviews and 226 documents. Interview data were analyzed using framework analysis methods; Prior's approach guided document analysis. RESULTS: Three themes related to the SDH-PHN role implementation were identified: (1) 'Swimming against the tide' to lead change as staff navigated ideological tensions, competency development, and novel collaborations; (2) Shifting organizational practice environments impacted by initial role placement and action to structurally embed health equity priorities; and (3) Bridging policy implementation gaps related to local-provincial implementation and reporting expectations. CONCLUSIONS: This study extends our understanding of the dynamic interplay among leadership, change management, ideological tensions, and local-provincial public health policy impacting health equity agendas. Given that the social determinants of health lie outside public health, collaboration with communities, health partners and non-health partners is essential to public health practice for health equity. The study findings have implications for increasing our knowledge and capacity for effective system-wide intervention towards health equity as a critical strategic priority for public health and for broader public policy and community engagement. Appropriate and effective public health leadership at multiple levels and by multiple actors is tantamount to adequately making inroads for health equity.

A multiple case study of intersectoral public health networks: experiences and benefits of using research.

BACKGROUND: Network partnerships between public health and third sector organisations are being used to address the complexities of population level social determinants of health and health equity. An understanding of how these networks use research and knowledge is crucial to effective network design and outcome evaluation. There is, however, a gap in the literature regarding how public health networks use research and knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to report on the qualitative findings from a larger study that explored (1) the experiences of public health networks with using research and knowledge, and (2) the perceived benefits of using research and knowledge. METHODS: A multiple case study approach framed this study. Focus group data were collected from participants through a purposive sample of four public health networks. Data were analyzed using Framework Analysis and Nvivo software supported data management. Each network had the opportunity to participate in data interpretation. RESULTS: All networks used published research studies and other types of knowledge to accomplish their work, although in each network research and knowledge played different but complementary roles. Neither research nor other types of knowledge were privileged, and an approach that blended varied knowledge types was typically used. Network experiences with research and knowledge produced individual and collective benefits. A novel finding was that research and knowledge were both important in shaping network function. CONCLUSIONS: This study shifts the focus in the current literature from public health departments to the community setting where public health collaborates with a broader spectrum of actors to ameliorate health inequities. Both formal research and informal knowledge were found to be important for collaborative public health networks. Examining the benefits of research and knowledge use within public health networks may help us to better understand the relationships among process (the collaborative use of research and knowledge), structure (networks) and outcomes (benefits).

Ontario primary care reform and quality improvement activities: an environmental scan.

BACKGROUND: Quality improvement is attracting the attention of the primary health care system as a means by which to achieve higher quality patient care. Ontario, Canada has demonstrated leadership in terms of its improvement in healthcare, but the province lacks a structured framework by which it can consistently evaluate its quality improvement initiatives specific to the primary healthcare system. The intent of this research was to complete an environmental scan and capacity map of quality improvement activities being built in and by the primary healthcare sector (QI-PHC) in Ontario as a first step to developing a coordinated and sustainable framework of primary healthcare for the province. METHODS: Data were collected between January and July 2011 in collaboration with an advisory group of stakeholder representatives and quality improvement leaders in primary health care. Twenty participants were interviewed by telephone, followed by review of relevant websites and documents identified in the interviews. Data were systematically examined using Framework Analysis augmented by Prior's approach to document analysis in an iterative process. RESULTS: The environmental scan identified many activities (n=43) designed to strategically build QI-PHC capacity, identify promising QI-PHC practices and outcomes, scale up quality improvement-informed primary healthcare practice changes, and make quality improvement a core organizational strategy in health care delivery, which were grouped into clusters. Cluster 1 was composed of initiatives in the form of on-going programs that deliberately incorporated long-term quality improvement capacity building through province-wide reach. Cluster 2 represented activities that were time-limited (research, pilot, or demonstration projects) with the primary aim of research production. The activities of most primary health care practitioners, managers, stakeholder organizations and researchers involved in this scan demonstrated a shared vision of QI-PHC in Ontario. However, this vision was not necessarily collaboratively developed nor were activities necessarily strategically linked. CONCLUSIONS: Within the scope of this research, the scan affirmed that there is currently no province-wide, integrated, and measured quality improvement program for the primary healthcare sector in Ontario. This could be improved by the development of a coordinated plan, an accompanying accountability framework, and an appropriate sustainable funding envelope for QI-PHC at the provincial level.

Understanding the role of communities of practice in evidence-informed decision making in public health.

In this article we report on qualitative findings that describe public health practitioners' practice-based definitions of evidence-informed decision making (EIDM) and communities of practice (CoP), and how CoP could be a mechanism to enhance their capacity to practice EIDM. Our findings emerged from a qualitative descriptive analysis of group discussions and participant concept maps from two consensus-building workshops that were conducted with public health practitioners (N = 90) in two provinces in eastern Canada. Participants recognized the importance of EIDM and the significance of integrating explicit and tacit evidence in the EIDM process, which was enhanced by CoP. Tacit knowledge, particularly from peers and personal experience, was the preferred source of knowledge, with informal peer interactions being the favored form of CoP to support EIDM. CoP helped practitioners build relationships and community capacity, share and create knowledge, and build professional confidence and critical inquiry. Participants described individual and organizational attributes that were needed to enable CoP and EIDM.

CUP study: protocol for a comparative analysis of centralised waitlist effectiveness, policies and innovations for connecting unattached patients to primary care providers.

INTRODUCTION: Access to a primary care provider is a key component of high-functioning healthcare systems. In Canada, 15% of patients do not have a regular primary care provider and are classified as 'unattached'. In an effort to link unattached patients with a provider, seven Canadian provinces implemented centralised waitlists (CWLs). The effectiveness of CWLs in attaching patients to regular primary care providers is unknown. Factors influencing CWLs effectiveness, particularly across jurisdictional contexts, have yet to be confirmed. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A mixed methods case study will be conducted across three Canadian provinces: Ontario, Québec and Nova Scotia. Quantitatively, CWL data will be linked to administrative and provider billing data to assess the rates of patient attachment over time and delay of attachment, stratified by demographics and compared with select indicators of health service utilisation. Qualitative interviews will be conducted with policymakers, patients, and primary care providers to elicit narratives regarding the administration, use, and access of CWLs. An analysis of policy documents will be used to identify contextual factors affecting CWL effectiveness. Stakeholder dialogues will be facilitated to uncover causal pathways and identify strategies for improving patient attachment to primary care. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Approval to conduct this study has been granted in Ontario (Queens University Health Sciences and Affiliated Teaching Hospitals Research Ethics Board, file number 6028052; Western University Health Sciences Research Ethics Board, project 116591; University of Toronto Health Sciences Research Ethics Board, protocol number 40335), Québec (Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Estrie, project number 2020-3446) and Nova Scotia (Nova Scotia Health Research Ethics Board, file number 1024979).

Addressing the determinants of child mental health: intersectionality as a guide to primary health care renewal.

Primary health care (PHC) renewal was designed explicitly to attend to the multidimensional factors impacting on health, including the social determinants of health. These determinants are central considerations in the development of integrated, cross-sectoral, and multi-jurisdictional policies such as those that inform models of shared mental health care for children. However, there are complex theoretical challenges in translating these multidimensional issues into policy. One of these is the rarely discussed interrelationships among the social determinants of health and identities such as race, gender, age, sexuality, and social class within the added confluence of geographic contexts. An intersectionality lens is used to examine the complex interrelationships among the factors affecting child mental health and the associated policy challenges surrounding PHC renewal. The authors argue that an understanding of the intersections of social determinants of health, identity, and geography is pivotal in guiding policy-makers as they address child mental health inequities using a PHC renewal agenda.

Narrowing the policy gap: lessons from years 2 and 3 of the British Columbia influenza prevention policy.

Influenza can be potentially fatal to vulnerable populations, particularly those in the hospital. Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends that health-care workers (HCW) be immunized against influenza partly to avoid infecting high-risk populations. However, influenza immunization rates among HCW remain suboptimal. In 2012, health authorities across British Columbia (B.C.) implemented a province-wide influenza prevention policy requiring HCW to either be immunized or wear a mask when in patient-care areas during the influenza season. This paper describes the second of two studies focused on what was learned from years 2 and 3 of the policy. A case study approach was used to examine this policy implementation event. Qualitative data were collected through key documents and key informant interviews with members of leadership teams responsible for policy implementation. Framework analysis and Prior's approach were used to analyze data from interviews and documents, respectively. Policy implementation varied by geographic region and gaps persist in immunization tracking and discipline for noncompliance. Debate regarding the scientific evidence used to support the policy fuels resistance from particular groups. Despite these challenges, findings suggest that the policy has been habituated, largely due to consistent policy objectives. This study emphasizes the importance of ongoing inter-professional and cross-sectoral program evaluation. While adherence may be routine for many, implementation processes must continue to respond to contextual issues to narrow the gap in policy implementation and to continue to engage stakeholders to ensure compliance.

Practice patterns among early-career primary care (ECPC) physicians and workforce planning implications: protocol for a mixed methods study.

INTRODUCTION: Canadians report persistent problems accessing primary care despite an increasing per-capita supply of primary care physicians (PCPs). There is speculation that PCPs, especially those early in their careers, may now be working less and/or choosing to practice in focused clinical areas rather than comprehensive family medicine, but little evidence to support or refute this. The goal of this study is to inform primary care planning by: (1) identifying values and preferences shaping the practice intentions and choices of family medicine residents and early career PCPs, (2) comparing practice patterns of early-career and established PCPs to determine if changes over time reflect cohort effects (attributes unique to the most recent cohort of PCPs) or period effects (changes over time across all PCPs) and (3) integrating findings to understand the dynamics among practice intentions, practice choices and practice patterns and to identify policy implications. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We plan a mixed-methods study in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia. We will conduct semi-structured in-depth interviews with family medicine residents and early-career PCPs and analyse survey data collected by the College of Family Physicians of Canada. We will also analyse linked administrative health data within each province. Mixed methods integration both within the study and as an end-of-study step will inform how practice intentions, choices and patterns are interrelated and inform policy recommendations. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the Simon Fraser University Research Ethics Board with harmonised approval from partner institutions. This study will produce a framework to understand practice choices, new measures for comparing practice patterns across jurisdictions and information necessary for planners to ensure adequate provider supply and patient access to primary care.

Health-care access as a social determinant of health.

The social determinants of health (SDH) are recognized as important indicators of health and well-being. Health-care services (primary, secondary, tertiary care) have not until recently been considered an SDH. Inequities in access to health care are changing this view. These inequities include barriers faced by certain population groups at point of care, such as the lack of cultural competence of health-care providers. The authors show how a social justice perspective can help nurses understand how to link inequities in access to poorer health outcomes, and they call on nurses to break the cycle of oppression that contributes to these inequities.

Examination of the British Columbia influenza prevention policy for healthcare workers: Phase 1 qualitative case study.

In August 2012, British Columbia became the first Canadian province to implement a province-wide Influenza Prevention Policy requiring all healthcare workers (HCWs) in residential and acute care facilities to either be immunized against influenza, or wear masks in patient care areas during the influenza season. This qualitative case study sought to understand the key facilitators and barriers involved in developing and implementing British Columbia's Influenza Prevention Policy. An explanatory qualitative case study approach was selected for this project. Data were collected through the review of 110 documents (policy and planning documents, implementation tools, press releases, communication materials, etc.), and through 7 focus groups with policy implementation team members (n = 48). Focus group interview transcripts were analyzed using Framework Analysis methods, and Prior's approach guided document analysis. Four themes were identified: (1) Clashing paradigms, (2) Policy implementation gaps, (3) Pathways of power, and (4) Personal impacts. Issues embedded in macro-, meso-, and micro-level contexts, and planning across the province, were identified as critical to policy implementation. A province-wide approach with senior-level engagement and dedicated resources is critical in a province-wide influenza prevention policy for HCW. Recommendations to improve large-scale implementation of condition-of-service influenza policies include: engaging stakeholders early, considering the complexity of political contexts, allotting time to plan appropriately, developing 'enforcement' plans, and providing education and skills to frontline providers.

Blending Simulation-Based Learning and Interpretative Pedagogy for Undergraduate Leadership Competency Development.

BACKGROUND: Effective leadership is an essential component guiding nursing activity and influencing health systems, health workers, and patient outcomes. Despite this evidence, undergraduate nursing programs may not be adequately preparing graduates to effectively engage in leadership practice. METHOD: This article describes an educational innovation designed to support prelicensure leadership competency development. The authors blended simulation-based learning (SBL) with an interpretative pedagogical frame in a senior nursing leadership course at a primarily undergraduate university. RESULTS: The innovation involves a break from traditional nursing educational pedagogy by bringing SBL into the leadership classroom. Using interpretative pedagogy to purposefully create different relationships in the learning space supported deeper personal and professional transformation for the students. CONCLUSION: Nurse educators must purposefully design leadership curricula using active educational strategies that adequately prepare nurses for complex health systems. Integrating SBL within an interpretative pedagogy for leadership development moves students from merely knowing theory to informed and effective action. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(1):49-54.].

Interpretive pedagogy in action: design and delivery of a violence and health workshop for baccalaureate nursing students.

This article presents the planning and implementation of a Violence and Health Immersion Workshop for undergraduate nursing students. Given the enormous personal and economic costs of violence, the central importance of addressing violence issues in nursing curricula is emphasized. The application of three key interpretive pedagogical strategies is described: choosing critical social science as a conceptual framework for the workshop; placing specific emphasis on the decentering of content; and creating space for learners to explore this difficult issue. Formative and summative evaluations of the workshop indicated that the majority of students found the workshop to be helpful in providing the opportunity to examine and shift their own values, attitudes, and beliefs regarding violence and health. Recommendations for future research include the need for increased knowledge regarding barriers to the implementation of interpretive pedagogies, and for greater insight regarding the process of attending to differences in the participants and the facilitators.

Re-examining the paradox of structure: a child health network perspective.

In their lead paper, Huerta, Casebeer and VanderPlaat argue that there are several key forces driving the development of health services delivery (HSD) networks, and propose a series of paradoxes and propositions to initiate this timely and essential dialogue. Ultimately, they submit that networks are likely to remain within the healthcare system to build system capacity and drive integration. Given this, they challenge us to further the dialogue and investigate these networks. While this peer commentary shares many of the lead author's perspectives, the generic nature of the discussion does not bring us to the relative complexities revealed in some HSD network practices. A Canadian child health network lens is used to re-examine the lead paper's conceptualization of network typologies and the proposed paradox of structure. We combine network practice and academic expertise to highlight the structural, governance and leadership tensions between traditional hierarchical public service organizations and the non-hierarchical nature of inter-organizational networks. Child health network leaders and members must examine and work with the challenges associated with importing traditional organizational cultures into an inter-organizationally networked context, while simultaneously maintaining these dual (or duelling) cultures.