Factors associated with homecare coordination and quality of care: a research protocol for a national multi-center cross-sectional study
Abstract Introduction The persistent fragmentation of home healthcare reflects inadequate coordination between care providers. Still, while factors at the system (e.g., regulations) and organisational (e.g., work environment) levels crucially influence homecare organisation, coordination and ultimat...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2021-04-01
|
| Series: | BMC Health Services Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06294-7 |
| _version_ | 1818419519127814144 |
|---|---|
| author | Nathalie Möckli Michael Simon Carla Meyer-Massetti Sandrine Pihet Roland Fischer Matthias Wächter Christine Serdaly Franziska Zúñiga |
| author_facet | Nathalie Möckli Michael Simon Carla Meyer-Massetti Sandrine Pihet Roland Fischer Matthias Wächter Christine Serdaly Franziska Zúñiga |
| author_sort | Nathalie Möckli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Introduction The persistent fragmentation of home healthcare reflects inadequate coordination between care providers. Still, while factors at the system (e.g., regulations) and organisational (e.g., work environment) levels crucially influence homecare organisation, coordination and ultimately quality, knowledge of these factors and their relationships in homecare settings remains limited. Objectives This study has three aims: [1] to explore how system-level regulations lead to disparities between homecare agencies’ structures, processes and work environments; [2] to explore how system- and organisation-level factors affect agency-level homecare coordination; and [3] to explore how agency-level care coordination is related to patient-level quality of care. Design and methods This study focuses on a national multi-center cross-sectional survey in Swiss homecare settings. It will target 100 homecare agencies, their employees and clients for recruitment, with data collection period planned from January to June 2021. We will assess regulations and financing mechanisms (via public records), agency characteristics (via agency questionnaire data) and homecare employees’ working environments and coordination activities, as well as staff- and patient-level perceptions of coordination and quality of care (via questionnaires for homecare employees, clients and informal caregivers). All collected data will be subjected to descriptive and multi-level analyses. Discussion The first results are expected by December 2021. Knowledge of factors linked to quality of care is essential to plan and implement quality improvement strategies. This study will help to identify modifiable factors at multiple health system levels that might serve as access points to improve coordination and quality of care. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T12:39:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4f64b1224cc8481bbe895cebece34ac8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T12:39:51Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-4f64b1224cc8481bbe895cebece34ac82022-12-21T23:00:56ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632021-04-0121111410.1186/s12913-021-06294-7Factors associated with homecare coordination and quality of care: a research protocol for a national multi-center cross-sectional studyNathalie Möckli0Michael Simon1Carla Meyer-Massetti2Sandrine Pihet3Roland Fischer4Matthias Wächter5Christine Serdaly6Franziska Zúñiga7Nursing Science, Department of Public Health, University of BaselNursing Science, Department of Public Health, University of BaselDepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Clinical Pharmacy & Epidemiology, c/o University Hospital BaselUniversity of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland, School of NursingCentre for Primary Health Care, University of BaselInstitute for Business and Regional Economics IBR, Lucerne Universityserdaly&ankers sncNursing Science, Department of Public Health, University of BaselAbstract Introduction The persistent fragmentation of home healthcare reflects inadequate coordination between care providers. Still, while factors at the system (e.g., regulations) and organisational (e.g., work environment) levels crucially influence homecare organisation, coordination and ultimately quality, knowledge of these factors and their relationships in homecare settings remains limited. Objectives This study has three aims: [1] to explore how system-level regulations lead to disparities between homecare agencies’ structures, processes and work environments; [2] to explore how system- and organisation-level factors affect agency-level homecare coordination; and [3] to explore how agency-level care coordination is related to patient-level quality of care. Design and methods This study focuses on a national multi-center cross-sectional survey in Swiss homecare settings. It will target 100 homecare agencies, their employees and clients for recruitment, with data collection period planned from January to June 2021. We will assess regulations and financing mechanisms (via public records), agency characteristics (via agency questionnaire data) and homecare employees’ working environments and coordination activities, as well as staff- and patient-level perceptions of coordination and quality of care (via questionnaires for homecare employees, clients and informal caregivers). All collected data will be subjected to descriptive and multi-level analyses. Discussion The first results are expected by December 2021. Knowledge of factors linked to quality of care is essential to plan and implement quality improvement strategies. This study will help to identify modifiable factors at multiple health system levels that might serve as access points to improve coordination and quality of care.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06294-7Care coordinationDelivery of health careHealth services researchHome care servicesNursing administration researchQuality of care |
| spellingShingle | Nathalie Möckli Michael Simon Carla Meyer-Massetti Sandrine Pihet Roland Fischer Matthias Wächter Christine Serdaly Franziska Zúñiga Factors associated with homecare coordination and quality of care: a research protocol for a national multi-center cross-sectional study BMC Health Services Research Care coordination Delivery of health care Health services research Home care services Nursing administration research Quality of care |
| title | Factors associated with homecare coordination and quality of care: a research protocol for a national multi-center cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Factors associated with homecare coordination and quality of care: a research protocol for a national multi-center cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Factors associated with homecare coordination and quality of care: a research protocol for a national multi-center cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors associated with homecare coordination and quality of care: a research protocol for a national multi-center cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Factors associated with homecare coordination and quality of care: a research protocol for a national multi-center cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | factors associated with homecare coordination and quality of care a research protocol for a national multi center cross sectional study |
| topic | Care coordination Delivery of health care Health services research Home care services Nursing administration research Quality of care |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06294-7 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nathaliemockli factorsassociatedwithhomecarecoordinationandqualityofcarearesearchprotocolforanationalmulticentercrosssectionalstudy AT michaelsimon factorsassociatedwithhomecarecoordinationandqualityofcarearesearchprotocolforanationalmulticentercrosssectionalstudy AT carlameyermassetti factorsassociatedwithhomecarecoordinationandqualityofcarearesearchprotocolforanationalmulticentercrosssectionalstudy AT sandrinepihet factorsassociatedwithhomecarecoordinationandqualityofcarearesearchprotocolforanationalmulticentercrosssectionalstudy AT rolandfischer factorsassociatedwithhomecarecoordinationandqualityofcarearesearchprotocolforanationalmulticentercrosssectionalstudy AT matthiaswachter factorsassociatedwithhomecarecoordinationandqualityofcarearesearchprotocolforanationalmulticentercrosssectionalstudy AT christineserdaly factorsassociatedwithhomecarecoordinationandqualityofcarearesearchprotocolforanationalmulticentercrosssectionalstudy AT franziskazuniga factorsassociatedwithhomecarecoordinationandqualityofcarearesearchprotocolforanationalmulticentercrosssectionalstudy |