Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31441277›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of health policy and management2019

Understanding Health Professional Responses to Service Disinvestment: A Qualitative Study.

Deb Mitchell, Lisa O'Brien, Anne Bardoel, Terry Haines

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of health policy and management, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Addressing the overuse-underuse paradox in healthcare.Medicine, health care, and philosophy · 2025
    Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Deb MitchellMonash Health Community, Monash Health, Dandenong, VIC, Australia.
Lisa O'BrienOccupational Therapy Department, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Frankston, VIC, Australia.
Anne BardoelDepartment of Management and Marketing, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia.
Terry HainesSchool of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Frankston, VIC, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDisinvestment from inefficient health services may be a potential solution to rising healthcare costs, but there has been poor uptake of disinvestment recommendations. This Australian study aims to understand how health professionals react when confronted with a plan to disinvest from a health service they previously provided to their patients.

methodsThis qualitative study took place prior to the disinvestment phase of a trial which removed weekend allied health services from acute hospital wards, to evaluate the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of the service. Observations and focus groups were used to collect data from 156 participants which was analysed thematically.

resultsInitial reactions to the disinvestment were almost universally negative, with staff extremely concerned about the impact on the safety and quality of patient care and planning ways to circumvent the trial. Removal of existing services was perceived as a loss and created a direct threat to some clinicians' professional identity. With time, discussion, and understanding of the project's context, some staff moved towards acceptance and perceived the trial as an opportunity, particularly given the service was to be reinstated after the disinvestment.

conclusionClinicians and health service managers are protective of the services they deliver and can create barriers to disinvestment. Even when services are removed to ascertain their value, health professionals may continue to provide services to their patients. Measuring the impact of the disinvestment may assist staff to accept the removal of a service.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelFinancial SupportAustraliaFocus GroupsHealth ServicesInterviews as TopicObservationQualitative ResearchDisinvestmentHealthcareService ChangeStaff ReactionsWeekend Allied Health Services

Identifiers

PMID31441277
PMCPMC6706972

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.