Kaisa Kurkela, Anna–Aurora Kork, Anni Jäntti and Henna Paananen
This study observes the organisational environment of fostering citizen participation in the context of local government. Creating systems of influential citizen participation…
Abstract
Purpose
This study observes the organisational environment of fostering citizen participation in the context of local government. Creating systems of influential citizen participation requires the consideration of organisational prerequisites. This study asks which organisational elements contribute to successful citizen participation in local government.
Design/methodology/approach
The data consist of interviews with 14 key actors who work for the city of Helsinki. The interview content was subjected to abductive content analysis and reflected in the analytical framework based on previous literature on citizen participation. The analysis complements and adds insights to the existing literature.
Findings
This study illuminates three crucial elements of influential citizen participation: organisational structures, organisational culture and adequate resources. Additionally, the results revealed management to be a crucial enabling element. The findings highlight the importance of seeing citizen participation as an issue of governance and as a systemic part of the administration requiring intentional management efforts.
Originality/value
The study illustrates the key elements (structures, culture and resources) that should be considered when creating an influential citizen participation system. Additionally, the empirical analysis highlights the importance of management, which has been understudied in previous studies concerning citizen participation.
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Keywords
Patrik Nordin, Anna-Aurora Kork and Inka Koskela
The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the potential of organizational learning for developing effectiveness of care. Value-based healthcare measurement recognizes patient…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the potential of organizational learning for developing effectiveness of care. Value-based healthcare measurement recognizes patient value as a driver for improving health outcomes at the societal and individual levels. By using the action learning method, this paper examines the phases of organizational learning in a private healthcare organization that has developed a novel Big Data screening tool for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2).
Design/methodology/approach
Relying on triple-loop learning as a conceptual framework and by applying the action learning method to case study design, this paper illustrates the phases of organizational learning and efforts to utilize value-based measurement in healthcare.
Findings
The case organization was able to identify patients at risk and to improve their care balance. Although the results for the measurement of patient outcomes led to questioning of previous care processes and practices in the organization, increasing value for all stakeholders by incorporating social needs to business opportunities remains under process.
Originality/value
With the focus on organizational learning and organizational value creation processes, this paper demonstrates incorporation of measuring patient outcomes in re-structuring care processes, enhancing organizational performance and improving effectiveness as well as quality of care.
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Keywords
Anna-Aurora Kork and Jarmo Vakkuri
Poor access to healthcare and increasing demand for services represent a management dilemma how to balance between needs and costs. Scrutinising the concept of demand management…
Abstract
Purpose
Poor access to healthcare and increasing demand for services represent a management dilemma how to balance between needs and costs. Scrutinising the concept of demand management and using a case study from Finnish primary care, the purpose of this paper is to examine the complexities of managing demand for health services.
Design/methodology/approach
Convenience has explained the popularity of walk-in clinics (WIC), making it an attractive demand management tool. By analysing the quantitative service utilisation data of frequent attenders at WIC, the paper exemplifies what enhanced access to care means for demand management of public welfare services.
Findings
High user rates and satisfaction indicate demand for this type of service; however, the establishment of WIC provided supplementary care for the high users of health services, most suffering chronic diseases.
Research limitations/implications
Better understanding of the structure of service demand is needed in order to develop a more coordinated service system and to manage demand for public welfare services.
Practical implications
The study demonstrates the importance of identifying service utilisation patterns in managing demand. Instead of single solutions, a wider system-level perspective is essential.
Originality/value
Managing demand and facilitating access are core primary care attributes but there is little evidence about the impact of demand management strategies. The paper ties together important healthcare management issues: how to control demand and improve the access? Moreover, few studies have examined the frequent attendance at WIC. This paper presents a practical illustration of demand management tool and indicates some demand management problems to be considered in healthcare management.