Understanding the social networks that contribute to diversion in hospital inpatient pharmacies: A social network analysis.

Background: Controlled substances (CS) are 'diverted' (stolen) from healthcare facilities via many integrated and diverse mechanisms due to a lack of safeguards. There remains a gap in understanding how healthcare workers (HCWs) leverage their social networks (e.g.

Palliative Care Acceptability for Older Adults with Advanced CKD: A Qualitative Study of Patients and Nephrologists.

Rationale & Objective: Older adults in the United States often receive kidney therapies that do not align with their goals. Palliative care (PC) specialists are experts in assisting patients with the goals of care discussions and decision support, yet views and experiences of older patients who have received PC while contemplating kidney therapy decisions and their nephrologists remain unexplored. We evaluated the acceptability of CKD-EDU, a PC-based kidney therapy decision support intervention for adults ≥75 years of age.

Exploring the use of social network analysis methods in process improvement within healthcare organizations: a scoping review.

Background: Communication breakdowns among healthcare providers have been identified as a significant cause of preventable adverse events, including harm to patients. A large proportion of studies investigating communication in healthcare organizations lack the necessary understanding of social networks to make meaningful improvements. Process Improvement in healthcare (systematic approach of identifying, analyzing, and enhancing workflows) is needed to improve quality and patient safety.

The Rise of Patients Declining Rectal Cancer Surgery in the Era of Total Neoadjuvant Therapy.

Background: The treatment landscape for rectal cancer is rapidly evolving, particularly with the increasing use of neoadjuvant therapies. Still, up to 50% of patients with stage II-III disease require surgical resection post-neoadjuvant therapy to achieve the best oncologic outcomes. Many patients, however, hope to avoid surgery.

Implementation and Qualitative Analysis of Peer Support for New Pediatric Gastrostomy Tube Families.

Introduction: Gastrostomy tube (G-tube) insertion in children has frequent complications, including dislodgment and return to the system, which are associated with emotional burden for caregivers. To address these issues, we developed a peer support program for caregivers of children with new G-tubes and aimed to explore program feasibility and acceptability.

Methods: The G-tube Buddy Program is a peer support program that pairs an experienced G-tube caregiver with new G-tube caregivers.

Understanding the perceived benefits, barriers, and cues to action for lung cancer screening among Latinos: A qualitative study.

Introduction: Rates of lung cancer screening among Latinos remain low. The purpose of the study was to understand the perceived benefits, barriers, and cues to action for lung cancer screening among Latinos.

Methods: Participants (N=20) were recruited using community-based recruitment strategies.

Building a communication and support network among quality improvement teams in nursing homes: a longitudinal study of the SCOPE trial.

Background: We applied a longitudinal network analysis approach to assess the formation of knowledge sharing and collaboration networks among care aide-led quality improvement (QI) teams in Canadian nursing homes participating in the Safer Care for Older Persons (in residential) Environments (SCOPE) trial which aimed to support unregulated front-line staff to lead unit-based quality improvement (QI) teams in nursing homes. We hypothesized that SCOPE's communicative and participatory nature would provide opportunities for peer support, knowledge sharing, and collaboration building among teams.

Methods: Fourteen QI teams in Alberta (AB) and seventeen QI teams in British Columbia (BC) participated in the study.

Social Network Analysis in Undergraduate and Postgraduate Medical Education: A Scoping Review.

Purpose: Social network analysis (SNA) is a theoretical framework and analytical approach used to study relationships among individuals and groups. While SNA has been employed by many disciplines to understand social structures and dynamics of interpersonal relationships, little is known about its use in medical education. Mapping and synthesizing the scope of SNA in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education can inform educational practice and research.

Coping Factors for Caregivers of Children With Medical Complexity During Hospitalization.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify coping factors for caregivers of children with medical complexity (CMC) to manage the stressors and experience associated with their child's hospitalization.

Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with CMC caregivers over a video-conferencing platform to examine factors that they perceive impact their coping while their children are hospitalized. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and imported into a qualitative coding software (MAXQDA).

Mindful practice with medical interpreters.

Introduction: Medical interpreters experience emotional burdens from the complex demands at work. Because communication access is a social determinant of health, protecting and promoting the health of medical interpreters is critical for ensuring equitable access to care for language-minority patients. The purpose of this study was to pilot a condensed 8-h program based on Mindful Practice in Medicine addressing the contributors to distress and psychosocial stressors faced by medical sign and spoken language interpreters.

Putting the Mix in Mixed Methods Research.

Research and quality improvement in pediatric hospital medicine often benefit from using mixed methods research (MMR) approaches. MMR requires the intentional collection, analysis, and mixing, or integration, of both quantitative and qualitative data to build on their complementary strengths to answer complex research questions. In this methodology paper, we define MMR, describe its characteristics, the importance of integration, and outline the core designs of explanatory sequential, exploratory sequential, and convergent MMR by illustrating practical examples from pediatric hospital medicine.

Utilizing the Un-Meeting model to advance innovative translational and team science.

Advances in translational science require innovative solutions, and engagement of productive transdisciplinary teams play a critical role. While various forms of scientific meetings have long provided venues for sharing scientific findings and generating new collaborations, many conferences lack opportunities for active discussions. We describe the use of an Un-Meeting to foster innovative translational science teams through engaged discussions across multidisciplinary groups addressing a shared theme.

Mapping the distribution of health equity research and practice across a university: a network analysis.

Introduction: Health equity research spans various disciplines, crossing formal organizational and departmental barriers and forming invisible communities. This study aimed to map the nomination network of scholars at the University of Rochester Medical Center who were active in racial and ethnic health equity research, education, and social/administrative activities, to identify the predictors of peer recognition.

Methods: We conducted a snowball survey of faculty members with experience and/or interest in racial and ethnic health equity, nominating peers with relevant expertise.

Experiences of Sign Language Interpreters and Perspectives of Interpreting Administrators During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Description.

Objective: Interpreting during the COVID-19 pandemic caused stress and adverse mental health among sign language interpreters. The objective of this study was to summarize the pandemic-related work experiences of sign language interpreters and interpreting administrators upon transitioning from on-site to remote work.

Methods: From March through August 2021, we conducted focus groups with 22 sign language interpreters in 5 settings, 1 focus group for each setting: staff, educational, community/freelance, video remote interpreting, and video relay services.

Developing a typology of network alteration strategies for implementation: a scoping review and iterative synthesis.

Background: Social networks transmit knowledge, influence, and resources. These relationships among patients, professionals, and organizations can shape how innovations are disseminated, adopted, implemented, and sustained. Network alteration interventions-interventions that change or rewire social networks-have the potential to be used as implementation strategies.

Sexual and gender minority cultural humility training for oncology settings: An example of iterative adaptation and implementation.

Background: Multiple national organizations recommend that cancer care providers and oncology practices be responsive to the needs of sexual and gender minority (SGM) patients. Oncology practices have attempted to incorporate this recommendation through SGM-focused cultural humility training interventions. It is unclear how best to adapt and implement such training across practices.

Addressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in rural communities: A case study in engaging trusted messengers to pivot and plan.

The pandemic declaration of COVID-19 in 2020 presented unique challenges, lessons, and opportunities for public health practice in the United States. Despite clear evidence of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness, vaccine uptake and vaccine confidence remained low in many regions. Vaccine holdouts, or those who are vaccine hesitant, have been an increasingly difficult population to reach.

Social Dynamics of Advice-Seeking: A Network Analysis of Two Residency Programs.

Residents interact with their peers and supervisors to ask for advice in response to complicated situations occurring during patient care. To provide a deeper understanding of workplace learning, this study explores the structure and dynamics of advice-seeking networks in two residency programs. We conducted a survey-based social network study.

Un-Meetings as tools for translational idea generation: A semantic content analysis of an Opioid Crisis Un-Meeting.

Background: Team development and idea generation are key intertwined steps in translational science that need a framework to accommodate unstructured, participatory interactions. To this end, we introduced Un-Meetings to the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program, innovative events that facilitate cross-disciplinary idea generation and informal discussions between translational scientists, policy makers, community members, advocates, and public health professionals. Here we describe a mixed methods study to characterize the conceptual diversity and clusterization of ideas generated through an Opioid Crisis Un-Meeting.