John William Adie, Wayne Graham, Ryan O'Donnell and Marianne Wallis
The purpose of this paper is to determine which factors are associated with 6,065 patient presentations with non-life-threatening urgent conditions (NLTUCs) to an after-hours…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine which factors are associated with 6,065 patient presentations with non-life-threatening urgent conditions (NLTUCs) to an after-hours general practice, an urgent care clinic (UCC) and an emergency department (ED) on Sundays in Southeast Queensland (Qld).
Design/methodology/approach
A retrospective, comparative and observational study was conducted involving the auditing of medical records of patients with NLTUCs consulting three medical services between 0,800 and 1,700 h, on Sundays, over a one-year period. The study was limited to 6,065 patients.
Findings
There were statistically significant differences in choice of location according to age, number of postcodes from the patient's residence, time of the day, season, patient presentations for infection and injury, non-infectious, non-injurious conditions of the circulatory, gastrointestinal and genitourinary systems, and need for imaging, pathology, plastering/back-slab application, splinting and wound closure. Older adults were more likely to be admitted to the hospital and Ed Short Stay Unit, compared with other age groups.
Research limitations/implications
Based on international models of UCC healthcare systems in United Kingdom (UK), USA and New Zealand (NZ) and the results of this study, it is recommended that UCCs in Australia have extended hours, walk-in availability, access to on-site radiology, ability to treat fractures and wounds and staffing by medical practitioners able to manage these conditions. Recommendations also include setting a national standard for UCC operation (National Urgent Care Centre Accreditation, 2018; NHS, 2020; RNZCUC, 2015) and requirements for vocational registration for medical practitioners (National Urgent Care Centre Accreditation, 2018; RNZCUC, 2015; The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, 2021a, b).
Practical implications
This study has highlighted three key areas for future research: first, research involving general practitioners (GPs), emergency physicians, urgent care physicians, nurse practitioners, urgent care pharmacists and paramedics could help to predict the type of patients more accurately, patient presentations and associated comorbidities that might be encouraged to attend or be diverted to Urgent Care Clinics. Second, larger studies of more facilities and more patients could improve the accuracy and generalisability of the findings. Lastly, studies of public health messaging need to be undertaken to determine how best to encourage patients with NLTUCs (especially infections and injuries) to present to UCCs.
Social implications
The Urgent Care Clinic model has existed in developed countries since 1973. The adoption of this model in Australia close to a patient's home, open extended hours and with onsite radiology could provide a community option, to ED, for NLTUCs (especially patient presentations with infections and injuries).
Originality/value
This study reviewed three types of medical facilities for the management of NLTUCs. They were an after-hours general practice, an urgent care clinic and an emergency department. This study found that the patient choice of destination depends on the ability of the service to manage their NLTUCs, patient age, type of condition, postcodes lived away from the facility, availability of testing and provision of consumables. This study also provides recommendations for the development of an urgent care healthcare system in Australia based on international models and includes requirements for extended hours, walk-in availability, radiology on-site, national standard and national requirements for vocational registration for medical professionals.
Details
Keywords
Shih Yung Chou, Wenkai Yang and Bo Han
The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical model describing psychological states and behavioral outcomes experienced and exhibited by older generation interpersonal…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical model describing psychological states and behavioral outcomes experienced and exhibited by older generation interpersonal helping behavior (IHB) recipients in Chinese organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws upon relevant literature and develops a theoretical model.
Findings
The analysis suggests that the extent of IHB that older generation Chinese employees receive from younger generation employees will lead to loss of mianzi, which will then result in reduced perceived generational guanxi, increased intended social isolation, and reduced intention to share task-related knowledge with the younger generation employees. The paper also proposes that perceived generational guanxi and intended social isolation will mediate the relationship between loss of mianzi and intention to share task-related knowledge with younger generation employees.
Practical implications
Because mianzi is an important cultural feature in Chinese societies, this paper provides four implications. First, younger generation employees could preserve and/or enhance older generation employees’ mianzi using less powerful messages. Second, younger generation employees should initiate task behaviors involving seeking opinions and expertise from older generation employees before exhibiting IHB. Third, mangers could reduce the negative impact of generational differences by establishing generational mentoring relationships between younger and older generation employees. Finally, younger generation employees could preserve and/or enhance older generation employees’ mianzi by playing the role of an informal subordinate rather than a problem solver when exhibiting IHB.
Originality/value
This paper is the first study exploring consequences of IHB from the perceptive of older generation IHB recipients in the Chinese context.
Details
Keywords
Andrew Lindridge, Susan MacAskill, Wendy Gnich, Douglas Eadie and Ingrid Holme
By applying ecological models of health behaviour to marketing communications to achieve behaviour change, this paper aims to illustrate the importance of taking into account…
Abstract
Purpose
By applying ecological models of health behaviour to marketing communications to achieve behaviour change, this paper aims to illustrate the importance of taking into account various economic, environmental and social influences.
Design/methodology/approach
A two-part study was undertaken. Part one involved exploring the lived worlds of the targeted population. Part two explored how the needs of the target audience informed a social marketing communications strategy. This was illustrated through Childsmile, a Scottish Government funded oral health institution.
Findings
A variety of intra- and inter-personal influences where identified that encouraged or discouraged oral health. Complementing this was how these needs are incorporated into an ecological social marketing communications campaign. Although the long term effects of the ecological social marketing campaign will not become evident for a number of years, initial results indicate its important role in changing behaviour.
Practical implications
The importance of engaging with various groups within social marketing is shown. Specifically, the need to understand and encourage interaction between individuals, their community, health institutions and the Government.
Social implications
Behaviour change, through social marketing communications, is possible among socio-economic deprived groups. Change supported with face to face interactions with health professionals.
Originality/value
Previous criticisms of social marketing research being American-centric, and avoiding issues around socio-economic deprivation are addressed. In addressing this, the paper also answers calls for research into ecological models of social marketing communications to understand how influences affect its applicability.
Details
Keywords
Kaidi Aher and Vilma Luoma-Aho
Change in the public sector appears to be often met with practices borrowed from the private sector. However, implementing private sector practices is challenging (Brown…
Abstract
Change in the public sector appears to be often met with practices borrowed from the private sector. However, implementing private sector practices is challenging (Brown, Waterhouse, & Flynn, 2003), as, for example, the range of stakeholders and their legitimate demands are greater in the public sector (Wæraas & Byrkjeflot, 2012; Leitch & Davenport, 2002), and due to the political nature of affairs, there is more complexity and uncertainty (Sanders & Canel, 2013). In fact, when it comes to change, the public sector can be very different from the private sector due to its often more bureaucratic processes, political nature of decisions and obligations for both transparency and equality.
This chapter focuses on three core areas of organisational change communication: organisational culture, employees and management. The chapter reports findings from a systematic literature review of articles from 1990 to 2016 using thematic analysis in order to answer three research questions: Is change in the public sector different from change in the private sector? What is the perceived role of communication for public sector change efforts? What insights can be found from previous literature about three topics connected with change communication: employees, organisational culture and management?
To begin, we ask whether it is actually true that public sector change differs from private sector change. Then we will examine the results of the literature review on each of these three aspects: (1) organisational culture, (2) public sector employees and (3) change management. We will summarise our findings and will conclude with three propositions for future studies on public sector change communication, which all highlight the rising importance of engagement.
Details
Keywords
James B Kelley and Dana L Alden
The purpose of this paper to use Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to explain the online brand community (OBC) identity internalization process through brand website interactivity…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper to use Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to explain the online brand community (OBC) identity internalization process through brand website interactivity. Secondary purpose of the research is to explore the role of several individual difference factors and brand-specific constructs in predicting brand website interactivity.
Design/methodology/approach
This study proposes the OBC motivation development continuum of brand website interactivity. Thus, a national panel was collected by a reputable online survey firm and a structural equation model was used to test the proposed model.
Findings
The authors examined four brand-related antecedents and mediators (brand engagement in self-concept, susceptibility of normative influence, opinion leadership, and consumer innovativeness) and found evidence of the differing roles that brand engagement in self-concept and purposive motives play as mediators to brand website interactivity.
Practical implications
Marketing managers can use the proposed model as a useful tool for understanding ways to target and motivate segment specific consumers in ways that will increase the effectiveness of managers’ OBC building strategies.
Originality/value
This study utilized SDT to explain the internalization process of brand website interactivity. Further, several individual difference factors were explored as antecedents and mediators of brand website interactivity.