Authors (including presenting author) :
Lai KL(1), Yuen KL(1), Hung CT(2)
Affiliation :
(1)KCC Clinical Research Support Office, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, (2)The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Introduction :
Hospitals with high research intensity are more efficient and provide higher quality patient care. Research-driven institutions promote continuous learning, attract talented staff, and stay updated with medical advancements. In response to the 2023 Policy Address and Hospital Authority Head Office(HAHO)’s initiative to promote clinical research under the HA, a service evaluation was conducted to fortify future research strategies.
Objectives :
To assess the clinical research services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) and highlights the areas of strength and opportunity for improvement in research capacity and culture (RCC).
Methodology :
Using Donabedian Model as a guiding framework to assess structure, process, and outcome measures. Mixed-methods surveys, focus groups and organisation data were analysed using thematic analysis and statistical analysis methods. Survey was used to measure the services awareness, satisfaction rate, RCC in individual and organization domains via a validated RCC tool, and identifying barriers and enablers in undertaking research. Focus groups included service users, non-service users and policy makers.
Result & Outcome :
Results:
350 completed surveys (70 online, 280 paper) were received from doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, representing an 8.6% response rate. Service users(n=110) were satisfied with present research services, with a mean score over 3.3 out of 5. The research culture in individual domain (mean=5; range 4-6) and organization domain (mean=4.8) were deemed moderate. Common constraints for low research participation were inadequate time (85.1%), lack of suitable manpower support (58.6%), and other work taking priority (53.7%). Reasons for research engagement were career advancement (60.6%) and acquiring new skills (44.3%).
Suggestions for improving research culture include expanding communication plans, increasing focus on research time and building partnerships with academic institutions. Institutional support is crucial for building a strong and supportive research environment, with recommendations to extend the study to other hospitals for analysis.
Conclusions:
This is the first study to report on the research culture of healthcare professionals in QEH and the first service evaluation project of the KCC Research Committee. The findings are in par with previous literatures signifying that the research culture is moderate at both the individual and organizational level. Organizations should identify the key barriers and enablers for research and introduce specific strategies to enhance capacity and improve research culture.
