Healthcare Executives Research Articles

Healthcare Executive Highlights for Third Quarter 2024

The third quarter of 2024 saw labor market softening, Fed rate cuts, election impacts, hurricanes causing IV shortages, GDP stability, falling inflation, and mixed healthcare employment. Looking ahead towards the fourth quarter of 2024 recalibration will be the theme.

ABSTRACT FROM THE FORUM ON ADVANCES IN HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT RESEARCH

The following abstract is from a presentation at the Forum on Advances in Healthcare Management Research, which took place in March 2024 during the Congress on Healthcare Leadership of the American College of Healthcare Executives. The Forum is an annual event that presents theoretical and empirical research with the potential for high impact on healthcare management.

Ensuring Equity

The chief medical officer and other healthcare leaders are positioned to have a positive effect on both diversity and equity. While this has not often been a focus of the healthcare executive, it is important for CMOs to understand how they can influence diversity and equity. This article does not include an exclusive list of to-dos for the CMO; however, it does provide a framework so CMOs can build relationships to guarantee equity in the patient population and diversity within their workforce. It is paramount that CMOs view health equity as a top priority. It also is important to understand that equity is a continuous process. Pursuing equity should be part of everything that a CMO does.

What makes proactive behaviors at work effective? Perspectives of health care executives.

Proactive behaviors at work refer to behaviors that are self-starting, future focused, and change oriented. Proactive behaviors are generally thought of as positive and desired and can benefit both the employee (e.g., job promotion) and organization (e.g., innovation). These behaviors can, however, backfire (e.g., due to unintended consequences), reflecting the "initiative paradox." The aim of this study was to investigate, through the perspectives of health care executives, how employees can be more effective when engaging in proactive behaviors. We used the episodic narrative interview method. Health care executives narrated instances of perceived effective and ineffective proactive behaviors among employees. We then performed an inductive qualitative analysis of these episodes to identify emerging themes and dimensions. The effectiveness of proactive behaviors among health care employees is shaped by three dimensions: managerial expectation (in)congruence (e.g., knowledge of expectations, engagement with chain of command), organizational priority (in)congruence (e.g., degree of alignment between individual and organizational benefits), and boundaries of action and change (e.g., nonadherence to regulatory or financial conditions). Among the dimensions, managerial expectations may be the most challenging for employees to navigate. Engaging in proactive behaviors is not a straightforward process. Navigating multiple dimensions is necessary for health care employees to be effective. Employees should be equipped with knowledge on relevant expectations, priorities, and boundaries when engaging in proactive behaviors at work. Health care leaders and managers should aim to clarify and periodically reassess these dimensions to facilitate effective proactive behaviors and to generate benefits for employees and the organization.

Needs Assessment for a Leadership Course in Saudi Medical Schools: The Student Perspective.

Leaders in healthcare no longer need to hold formal management positions; instead, leadership is perceived to be the responsibility of all healthcare professionals. Despite changes in curricula and teaching design, however, this review of the content taught in medical colleges in Saudi Arabia reveals a lack of leadership and a failure to equip young graduates to compete on the global stage. Medical students need leadership skills for patient care, cooperation, and navigating the complex healthcare system. Clinical management skills in hospitals require these talents also. The complexity of healthcare and the impact healthcare executives have on people's lives highlight the importance of these skills. Thus, healthcare practitioners must develop non-technical skills like proactivity, motivation, and change management to lead across professional boundaries and negotiate the increasingly complex healthcare landscape. This cross-sectional study combines a quantitative approach with a self-administered questionnaire-based survey. The sampling procedure is a non-probability convenience technique, adapted for 700 male and female undergraduate medical students from four medical colleges. Of the students, 75.46% had minimal leadership experience and 22.69% had some leadership experience; 3.02% of 464 students considered themselves highly experienced in leadership. As the needs assessment and other relevant factors show, leadership should be introduced as a skilled subject. There will always be a growing demand for competent medical graduates, who are capable of becoming future leaders. Although elementary leadership concepts remain fundamentally the same, curricular development must focus on the needs of society and stakeholders.

Healthcare Executive Highlights for Second Quarter 2024

This article reviews second-quarter macroeconomic indicators, noting mixed GDP growth, inflation trends, and labor market conditions. It emphasizes the importance of effective coordination between fiscal and monetary policies to mitigate risks like stagflation. Healthcare remains a major contributor to GDP and job creation, underscoring the need for healthcare leaders to engage with policymakers at all levels. Looking ahead to the third quarter of 2024, it anticipates discretionary spending pressures, supply chain challenges, and the impact of geopolitical and environmental factors.

헬스케어 공급망 리스크 주요 이슈 분석: 뉴스기사를 중심으로

This study investigates the major risk issues and their causes in healthcare supply chains, using network analysis and qualitative analysis of news media publications, and then proposes response and operational strategies for managing healthcare supply chain risks. We divided our study into two time periods for a comparative analysis of key risk issues in different degrees of environmental uncertainty. The year 2020 marked the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first period of our analysis is four years covering 2016-2019, prior to COVID-19 disruptions. The second period is also four years during 2020-2023 when the full force of COVID-19 disruptions affected healthcare supply chains. The keywords used to collect news media publications were “healthcare,” “healthcare industry,” “healthcare services,” “hospital,” “health center,” and “medicine.” The results of the study indicated that the major risks experienced in healthcare supply chains were due to the following factors: the type of patients who needed healthcare services, care services provided (lab tests, treatment, prescriptions, etc.), care service methods used (surgery, utilization of medical devices), and examination and diagnostics (clinical kits, etc.). While these factors were identified as possible causes of risk in the healthcare supply chains involving procurement of supplies and raw materials, these risks tend to intensify in the increased disruption period (year 2020-2023). Managing these risk issues in the disruptive periods contributes significantly not only to the performance of healthcare organizations but also to the well-being of the society at large. This study offers theoretical implications in that it analyzes the causes of risks in the healthcare supply chains and provides a basis for a comparative analysis of the relationships of risk factors in healthcare supply chains during a normal environment and a very disruptive environment. From a practical perspective, this study suggests effective countermeasures for managing healthcare supply chain risks with examples that can be used as a guideline by healthcare executives, managers, and policy-makers of healthcare services.

Care You Can Trust: How the Black Men's Health Clinic Leverages Community Partnerships Charting a Course Where Health Care Struggles to Reach.

Black men in the United States have a lower life expectancy than Hispanic and White populations due to elevated morbidity and mortality from various health conditions. This is partially attributable to the experience of systemic racism and earned mistrust toward health professionals, the majority of whom are not Black. Despite recognition of this issue, limited progress has been made to improve Black men's health trajectories. Thus, there is an urgent need for health care organizations to reach more Black men and address existing health inequities through innovative means. Larry Wallace Sr., an experienced health care executive, recognized this issue in his community and created the Black Men's Health Clinic (BMHC) with his son, Larry Wallace Jr., to improve health care delivery to Black men in and around Austin, Texas. BMHC has successfully reached Black men in its catchment area through its strategic community engagement efforts and a unique financial model to increase health care accessibility for a population that has historically experienced poor health outcomes. Furthermore, they offer a comprehensive range of services that acknowledge the impact of social and structural determinants of health and address social needs to provide Black men with access to vetted, high-quality health care. Consequently, BMHC's health care model offers a useful framework for other health care organizations that are aiming to achieve health equity. The BMHC model is presented herein, highlighting strategies for other health care organizations to reach Black men and deliver trusted care. Implementing suggestions discussed in this work may lead to improved health outcomes for Black men in the United States.

What Makes Proactive Behaviors at Work Effective? Perspectives of Health Care Executives

What Makes Proactive Behaviors at Work Effective? Perspectives of Health Care Executives

A Framework for Antecedents to Health Information Systems Uptake by Healthcare Professionals: An Exploratory Study of Electronic Medical Records

Health information systems (HISs) are essential information systems used by organisations and individuals for various purposes. Past research has studied different types of HIS, such as rostering systems, Electronic Medical Records (EMRs), and Personal Health Records (PHRs). Although several past confirmatory studies have quantitatively examined EMR uptake by health professionals, there is a lack of exploratory and qualitative studies that uncover various drivers of healthcare professionals’ uptake of EMRs. Applying an exploratory and qualitative approach, this study introduces various antecedents of healthcare professionals’ uptake of EMRs. This study conducted 78 semi-structured, open-ended interviews with 15 groups of healthcare professional users of EMRs in two large Australian hospitals. Data analysis of qualitative data resulted in proposing a framework comprising 23 factors impacting healthcare professionals’ uptake of EMRs, which are categorised into ten main categories: perceived benefits of EMR, perceived difficulties, hardware/software compatibility, job performance uncertainty, ease of operation, perceived risk, assistance society, user confidence, organisational support, and technological support. Our findings have important implications for various practitioner groups, such as healthcare policymakers, hospital executives, hospital middle and line managers, hospitals’ IT departments, and healthcare professionals using EMRs. Implications of the findings for researchers and practitioners are provided herein in detail.

Национальные клинические рекомендации по диагностике и лечению Ph-негативных миелопролиферативных новообразований (истинной полицитемии, эссенциальной тромбоцитемии, первичного миелофиброза) (редакция 2024 г.)

The development of National clinical guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of Ph-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms provides the knowledge basis for decision making in diagnosis, therapy, prevention, and rehabilitation in compliance with evidence-based medicine principles in order to ensure appropriate medical care in a particular clinical setting. The clinical guidelines underly the choice of optimal methods of diagnosis, therapy, prevention, and rehabilitation as part of a patient’s medical care, the development of criteria for the assessment of medical care quality, medical care standards, medical care procedures, setting standards on equipment and management of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and provision of continuous medical education and advanced training for healthcare professionals. In 2013, a working group was formed to develop and formulate clinical guidelines on the treatment of myeloproliferative neoplasms. These guidelines were first published in 2014, afterwards they were revised and republished. The dynamic development of current hematology presupposes constant updating of knowledge and implementation of new diagnosis and treatment methods in clinical practice. In this context, clinical guidelines present a dynamic document to be continuously amended, expanded, and updated in accordance with scientific findings and new requirements of specialists who are directly involved in treatment activities. The present edition is an upgraded version of clinical guidelines with updated information on classification, diagnosis, prognosis, current methods of therapy, and their efficacy and tolerability assessment. The guidelines are intended for oncologists, hematologists, healthcare executives, and medical students.

ASA Highlights the Specialty's Essential Value to Health Care Executives

ASA Highlights the Specialty's Essential Value to Health Care Executives

Ashley Vertuno, 2024 Recipient of the Robert S. Hudgens Memorial Award for Young Healthcare Executive of the Year

Ashley Vertuno, 2024 Recipient of the Robert S. Hudgens Memorial Award for Young Healthcare Executive of the Year

The Role of Healthcare Leaders in Promoting Vaccine Acceptance in Saudi Arabia.

Several vaccines have been recommended by the health authorities in recent years and have been opposed by debates, lack of public trust, and variable levels of hesitance that resulted in increased anti-vaccination advocacy and a subsequent reduction in vaccination rates worldwide. This study aimed to explore the community's perceptions of the role of healthcare leadership in promoting vaccine acceptance. This cross-sectional study used a validated questionnaire designed according to the study's objectives for a heterogeneous purposive sample of individuals over 18 years old in Saudi Arabia. Participants completed the questionnaire online via a link provided by multiple social media platforms. The study included 7159 participants with various demographical features. On a five-point Likert scale, the average level of agreement on the role of healthcare executives in promoting vaccines was 3.76. The average level of agreement about the role of healthcare leaders in promoting vaccines was 3.76 out of five. Men were more likely than women to agree on healthcare worker's influence, 63.6% and 58.6%, respectively (P < 0.001). The ages of participants showed a favorable correlation with their level of agreement on the role of healthcare leaders in promoting vaccines (P < 0.001). The level of agreement on healthcare leader's role in promoting vaccines was inversely proportional to the education level (P < 0.001). The retired group reported the highest score, followed by the employed ones (P < 0.001). Unlike other political and religious leaders, this study indicates that healthcare professionals significantly impact vaccine hesitancy and uptake. Despite rising vaccine hesitancy, healthcare leaders remain more trustworthy providers of guidance and influence over vaccination decisions than others. In addition, the health leader's factual message boosts people's self-esteem and helps them decide to be vaccinated.

Sustainability of healthcare supply chain management: a panoramic approach through SLR and bibliometric

PurposeThe healthcare sector increasingly recognizes how critical sustainable supply chains are to lowering environmental impact, boosting productivity and satisfying public expectations for morally and responsibly provided healthcare. Consequently, the current study aims to thoroughly evaluate the literature on the sustainability of healthcare supply chain management.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses a systematic literature review (SLR) technique and bibliometric review to examine the benefactions of different authors, nations and organizations to healthcare sustainability through bibliometric and network analyses.FindingsThe study concludes that the healthcare industry may advance sustainability on all levels by incorporating technology into the fundamentals of sustainability. Patient care is given priority in this proposed approach, which can also help healthcare executives create strategies that support efficient healthcare supply chains.Research limitations/implicationsThe research study can serve as a basis for future investigations into additional healthcare management domains, where integrating a sustainable supply chain can yield superior and observable results and bridge deficiencies in management protocols.Originality/valueUsing bibliometric visualization, this study shows the relevance of sustainability in the healthcare supply chain. By identifying its advantages, present-day circumstances, applications and prospective future research fields, the study took up the review and relevance of sustainability in many parts of the healthcare industry.

Healthcare Executive Highlights for First Quarter 2024

It was a great start for 2024, with all major economic indicators appearing to be in good shape with macroeconomic indicators stabilizing. The first quarter included the largest disruption in U.S. healthcare since COVID-19 with a cyberattack as well as fears of another banking crisis. Among the good economic conditions, the 2024 presidential pre-election politics, and the precarious global geopolitics consider maintaining a reserved view of the economy during the second quarter.

Assessment of the Barriers and Enablers of the Use of mHealth Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa According to the Perceptions of Patients, Physicians, and Health Care Executives in Ethiopia: Qualitative Study.

Digital technologies are increasingly being used to deliver health care services and promote public health. Mobile wireless technologies or mobile health (mHealth) technologies are particularly relevant owing to their ease of use, broad reach, and wide acceptance. Unlike developed countries, Sub-Saharan Africa experiences more challenges and obstacles when it comes to deploying, using, and expanding mHealth systems. In addition to barriers, there are enabling factors that could be exploited for the design, implementation, and scaling up of mHealth systems. Sub-Saharan Africa may require tailored solutions that address the specific challenges facing the region. The overall aim of this study was to identify the barriers and enablers for using mHealth systems in Sub-Saharan Africa from the perspectives of patients, physicians, and health care executives. Multi-level and multi-actor in-depth semistructured interviews were employed to qualitatively explore the barriers and enablers of the use of mHealth systems. Data were collected from patients, physicians, and health care executives. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated, and coded. Thematic analysis methodology was adopted, and NVivo software was used for the data analysis. Through this rigorous study, a total of 137 determinants were identified. Of these determinants, 68 were identified as barriers and 69 were identified as enablers. Perceived barriers in patients included lack of awareness about mHealth systems and language barriers. Perceived enablers in patients included need for automated tools for health monitoring and an increasing literacy level of the society. According to physicians, barriers included lack of available digital health systems in the local context and concern about patients' mHealth capabilities, while enablers included the perceived usefulness in reducing workload and improving health care service quality, as well as the availability of mobile devices and the internet. As perceived by health care executives, barriers included competing priorities alongside digitalization in the health sector and lack of interoperability and complete digitalization of implemented digital health systems, while enablers included the perceived usefulness of digitalization for the survival of the highly overloaded health care system and the abundance of educated manpower specializing in technology. mHealth systems in Sub-Saharan Africa are hindered and facilitated by various factors. Common barriers and enablers were identified by patients, physicians, and health care executives. To promote uptake, all relevant stakeholders must actively mitigate the barriers. This study identified a promising outlook for mHealth in Sub-Saharan Africa, despite the present barriers. Opportunities exist for successful integration into health care systems, and a user-centered design is crucial for maximum uptake.

On Enhancing the COVID-19 Certification System for the Digitally-Illiterate People Inclusion in the European Union

The COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread restrictions globally, prompting governments to implement measures for containment. Vaccines, while aiding in reducing virus transmission, have also introduced the challenge of identifying vaccinated individuals for the purpose of easing restrictions. The European Union (EU) addressed this through the “digital COVID-19 certification” system, allowing citizens to travel within the EU based on their vaccination, recovery, or negative test status. However, the system’s digital format poses challenges for those who are not digitally proficient, such as seniors and those with low educational or socioeconomic status. This study aims to propose enhancements to the current system, considering the mobility needs of all citizens. The methodology involves reviewing literature on digital literacy, the digital divide, and information systems related to vaccination and certification. The paper presents straightforward recommendations to make the COVID-19 certificate more accessible to digitally excluded individuals. These proposals may serve as a valuable starting point for healthcare executives to evaluate and adapt the certification scheme to be inclusive of a broader range of stakeholders.

Challenges Meeting 21st Century Cures Act Patient Identity Interoperability and Information Blocking Rules.

Gather insights into healthcare organization (HCO) preparedness for new 21st Century Cures Act information blocking disincentives and challenges in achieving greater accuracy /interoperability of patient identity/data. Survey of 197 U.S. healthcare executives (54.7% response rate), included 46 health systems (23.4%), 141 hospitals (71.6%), and 10 payer organizations (5.1%), evaluated organizational gaps in patient identity data management/interoperability and preparation for information deblocking. Healthcare organizations are unprepared to meet information deblocking requirements and manage increased data influx/exchange. Although 61% have invested in meeting requirements, only 36% have capabilities in place. Majorities reported inability to comply with information blocking rules (59%), communicate electronic patient activity notifications to other organizations (56%), or share/receive patient-level information with patients and other HCOs (57%). Across 12 critical functionalities, 57% lacked key capabilities; 97% reported inadequate patient data/identity management/interoperability as data volume expands, adversely affecting care quality/safety and outcomes; and 57% envision patient data-matching errors precipitating a healthcare crisis in 5-10 years. Many HCOs are unprepared to meet new Cures Act information blocking requirements and resultant increase of internal/external patient data volumes. Next generation master data management, enterprise master patient index, and referential matching technologies can improve HCO patient identity and data management, and information interoperability.

Optimization Path for Management Decision-Making&amp;nbsp;of Chinese Public Hospitals Under the Background of Big Data

This study examines how Big Data might improve Chinese public hospital management. A comprehensive study examines how data diversity, storage efficiency, analytics tools, and information system complexity affect decision-making. A carefully selected quantitative dataset from Chinese public hospitals is used in the study. Analyses use structured medical records, semi-structured billing data, and unstructured patient comments. The sample size of 115 was chosen for statistical robustness and multiple regression analysis best practices, which recommend 10-20 observations per predictor variable for estimate. Multiple linear regression analysis highlights amazing correlations and stresses data diversity, storage efficiency, analytics tools, and information system sophistication in decision efficiency. The study helps healthcare executives and regulators understand the complex relationship between regression coefficients and modified R-squared value. Also evaluated are Chinese public hospitals' strengths and weaknesses. Strengths include data integration, analytics, and advanced information systems. The report emphasizes data quality and cultural transformation, which impact Big Data and decision-making. The report emphasizes data consumption and advanced analytics to empower healthcare decision-makers. This research informs Chinese public hospital strategic reforms to improve resource allocation, patient care, and efficiency. This paper demonstrates how Big Data can impact healthcare decision-making. It enriches academic discourse and guides healthcare stakeholders through modern management with relevant insights and practical advice.