Asia-Pacific Journal of Health Management (ACHSM)
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Health Reform: What have we learned and were to next!
Get PDFRecently I was talking to a colleague of mine from Hong Kong and he reminded me that Hong Kong had had 28 years of health reform. A period just slightly longer than we had known each other. We are deeply imbued in the management and organisation of health services and health systems and, therefore public health policy. He suggested that there should be a lot of learning for us all from that period and, he was exploring how that might happen. I agreed with the idea and the need to think it through. I also recognised potential for the Journal to play some role in that suggestion. Most national health systems have undergone extensive reform so there should be a lot of learning for all of us from that reform....
Library Bulletin
No full textWelcome to this edition of the Health Planning & Management Library Bulletin. It is a comprehensive journal articles and documents related on healthcare managment.  
Balancing Yin and Yang: the development of a framework using Participatory Action Research for the Translation and Implementation (Part 1) of new practices
Get PDFContext: Despite the demonstrable benefits of many healthcare innovations, embedding research findings into practice has been slow and sporadic. [1,2] Many implementation frameworks exist, however most havebeen criticised for not having a strong theoretical underpinning. This study addresses this gap by reviewing the current models to propose a new, theoretically driven framework for change management and translation.
Methods: This study is reported in two parts. In part 1, a systematically-based literature review was undertaken. Following this, part 2 included conducting focus groups with academics to verify the model and provide feedback on the new framework.
Findings: The gaps in current implementation frameworks identified include deficiencies in the areas of individual and social behaviour, participatory action, operationalisation and evaluation of the frameworks. The Quality Implementation Framework (QIF) [3] was used to provide the basis to develop a robust extended model, which addressed those areas that were identified as deficient in the current frameworks. By combining the best parts of extant models with a translation and implementation foci, we developed the PARTI model that is underpinned by commitment to change (Ying) and change fidelity (Yang) at each of its four stages, which included a behavioural questionnaire and implementation checklist. PARTI stands for Participatory Action Research, Translation and Implementation.
Conclusions: The implementation of change in healthcare delivery is difficult and demanding, and healthcare managers look to change frameworks for guidance. The PARTI model has been developed to provide a systematic approach to implementing changed practices that is repeatable, reliable and scalable.
Abbreviations: ISF – Interactive Systems Framework; PAR – Participatory Action Research; PARTI – Participatory Action Research for Translation and Implementation; QIF – Quality Implementation Framework; TDF – Theoretical Domains Framework
Best Practice Pathology Collection in Australia
Get PDFObjectives: The specific objectives of the study were to (a) identify current best practice in pathology specimen collection and assess the extent to which Australian pathology services currently satisfy best practice standards; and (b) identify training and other strategies that would mitigate any gaps between current and best practice.
Methods: A total of 22 case studies were undertaken with pathology collector employers from public, not for profit and private pathology organisations andacross urban and rural locations and eight focus groups with pathology collection services consumers were conducted in December 2012 in four different cities.
Results: The preferred minimum qualification of the majority of case study employers for pathology collectors is the nationally recognised Certificate III in Pathology. This qualification maps well to an accepted international best practice guideline for pathology collection competency standards but has some noted deficiencies identified which need to be rectified. These particularly include competencies related to communicating with consumers. The preferred way of training for this qualification is largely through structured and supervised on the job learning experiences supported by theoretical classroom instruction delivered in-house or in off the job settings. The study found a need to ensure a greater proportion of the pathology collection workforce is appropriately qualified.
Conclusion: The most effective pathway to best practice pathology collection requires strong policies that define how pathology samples are to be collected, stored and transported and a pathology collection workforce that is competent and presents to consumers with a credible qualification and in a professional manner.
Abbreviations: CHF – Consumer Health Forum of Australia; KIMMS – Key Incident Monitoring and Management Systems; NAACLS – National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences; NACCHO – National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation; NPAAC – National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council; RCPA – Royal College of Pathology Australasia; RTO – Registered Training Organisation
How Are Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Approaches Used in Evaluating Management Development Programs? a literature review
Get PDFAim: The aim of the review was to examine the characteristics of studies that use CQI approaches to evaluate management development programs; and to synthesise the findings to understand how CQI approaches are being used to evaluate the effectiveness of management development programs.
Method: A scoping review of the literature was conducted in a manner consistent with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The matches were screened by title and abstract using the inclusion criteria, leading to a full paper review of 48 papers. Of these, the 14 papers found to meet the inclusion criteria for the scoping review were independently reviewed and analysed by two of the authors.
Findings: The review revealed the ways in which CQI approaches were used in evaluating management development programs highlighting the role of context, pre-determined competencies and participatory CQI approaches. Participatory CQI approaches including on-the-job application of learning provided opportunities for participants to learn through CQI activities associated with action learning and CQI feedback cycles.
Conclusions: The authors concluded that evaluations using participatory CQI approaches are better positioned to report more comprehensively on the benefits of management development programs when they include the competencies required to be successful in the context within which the manager is working. Future directions for research in this area include an examination of the microsystem context to determine whether the required management competencies associated with remoteness differ from other contexts
In This Issue
Get PDFThis is the third and final issue for 2018. We continue in transition from publishing three issues a year to the concept of publish as ready. This has resulted in delays to processing and publishing, so we extend our apologies to both authors and readers. We currently have some twenty articles in review and delays are also occurring in this area in finding willing and receptive reviewers. We would appreciate authors suggesting reviewers as they submit articles....
The Impact of Shared Versus Individual Office Space on Therapist Appraisal of Their Work Environment
Get PDFObjective: The primary objective was to investigate the impact of shared versus individual office space on therapist appraisal of the work physical and social environment, and overall appraisal of working conditions.
Method: Therapists (n = 59) from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Western Australia were surveyed about their appraisal of the social and physical work environment, in addition to their overall appraisal of working conditions.
Results: Compared to therapists with individual offices, therapists occupying shared office space reported lower appraisal of the work physical environment and lower overall appraisal of working conditions. No difference was found between groups for appraisal of the work social environment. Additionally, when statistically controlling for office space, both the appraisal of the social and physical environment made an independent contribution to the prediction of overall work satisfaction.
Conclusion: This research reveals that shared office space can negatively impact therapist appraisal of their work environment and reduce overall appraisal of working conditions. Additionally, results reveal the high importance of the physical environment for staff satisfaction in a mental health service