Author:
Zeng Wenqi,Tao Wenjuan,Yang Yanlin,Li Yong,Lu Bingqing,Zhao Qian,Li Zhuyue,Wang Miao,Shui Zhanglin,Wen Jin
Abstract
Abstract
Background
In China, fragmented and inefficient health care systems are common while quality resources are limited. To promote an organized, efficient system, the government launched a medical consortium policy to vertically integrate health care through the collaboration of different levels of medical care. Logically, medical staff’s knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding the consortium are critical for its development. The objective of this study was to explore the KAP regarding the medical consortium among medical staff in a medical consortium in Sichuan Province, China.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey was conducted. In total, 690 medical staff members in 3 cities of Sichuan Province, China, were interviewed from November 2018 to December 2018. The questionnaire consisted of 18 items, including 4 items related to perceived knowledge, 4 items related to attitudes and 2 items related to practices, and was rated on a 5-point Likert scale (one = strongly disagree/do not know, five = strongly agree/know).
Results
The effective response sample was 640 copies of the questionnaire, and most medical staff members (92.50%) knew about the cooperation with other hospitals in the medical consortium. Medical staff scored differently on each item in the questionnaire, with the highest score being the item ‘agreeing with the ward rounds and clinical teaching and training organized by the leading hospital’ (4.54 ± 0.76), and the lowest score being the item ‘frequency in participating in ward rounds and clinical teaching organized by the leading hospital’ (2.83 ± 1.36). In addition, the effect of demographic characteristics on KAP was evaluated by stepwise multiple regression analysis, and a significant positive correlation was found between all the studied variables by Spearman’s correlation (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
This study showed that the attitudes toward and knowledge of the medical consortium significantly contribute to practices, satisfaction with the support work performed by the leading hospital and agreement of improvement after joining the medical consortium. Thus, to improve medical staff’s KAP and satisfaction, publicity and educational programs in medical consortia are necessary, and the leading hospital should attach importance to the informatization construction and demand of different medical staff members.
Clinical trial registration
There are no clinical trials in this study.
Funder
China Postdoctoral Science Foundation
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Reference38 articles.
1. Wang J, Jia W. Resources allocation and utilization efficiency in China’s healthcare sector. China Finance Econ Rev. 2021;10(2):88–109.
2. Anita W. What is the medical alliance? J Ky Med Assoc. 2003;101(8):325.
3. Yip W, Hsiao W. Harnessing the privatisation of China’s fragmented health-care delivery. Lancet. 2014;384(9945):805–18.
4. Verhulst J, Kramer D, Swann AC, Hale-Richlen B, Beahrs J. The medical alliance: from placebo response to alliance effect. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2013;201(7):546–52.
5. Office of the State Council. The general office of the state council issued the guiding opinions on promoting the construction and development of medical union. 2017. http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2017-04/26/content_5189071.htm. Accessed 15 Nov 2022.