A management perspective on resilience in healthcare: a framework and avenues for future research

Abstract

Recent major health shocks, such as the 2014–16 Ebola, the Zika outbreak, and, last but not least, the COVID-19 pandemic, have strongly contributed to drawing attention to the issue of resilience in the healthcare domain. Nevertheless, the scientific literature appears fragmented, creating difficulties in developing incremental research in this relevant managerial field.To fill this gap, this systematic literature review aims to provide a clear state of the art of the literature dealing with resilience in healthcare. Specifically, from the analysis of the theoretical articles and reviews, the key dimensions of resilience are identified, and a novel classification framework is proposed. The classification framework is then used to systematize extant empirical contributions. Two main dimensions of resilience are identified: the approach to resilience (reactive vs. proactive) and the type of crisis to deal with (acute shocks vs. chronic stressors). Four main streams of research are thus identified: (i) proactive approaches to acute shocks; (ii) proactive approaches to chronic stressors; (iii) reactive approaches to acute shocks; and (iv) reactive approaches to chronic stressors. These are scrutinised considering three additional dimensions: the level of analysis, the resources to nurture resilience, and the country context. The classification framework and the associated mapping contribute to systematising the fragmented literature on resilience in healthcare, providing a clear picture of the state of the art in this field and drawing a research agenda that opens interesting paths for future research.

Resilience of the primary healthcare system: perspectives of German stakeholders at primary care interfaces during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Saulnier et al ( 19 ) described a gap between theory and practice and pledged to a revision of this framework. Furthermore, other, newer resilience frameworks also focus on the health system level ( 33 – 35 ). Haldane et al ( 21 ) developed a resilience framework at the system level that largely meets the results of this study but was developed specifically for resilience in managing COVID-19.…”

Towards Resilient Healthcare Systems: A Framework for Crisis Management

“…However, distinctions in their methodological approaches are evident. Agostini et al offered a framework grounded in clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction indices [ 24 ]. In contrast, Förster et al [ 25 ] accentuated the pivotal role of clinical leadership, effective communication, and the innovative integration of technology in bolstering resilience.…”

A Review of Cross-Functional Collaborations in Enhancing Healthcare Delivery in Nigeria

“…Recent health crises, such as the Ebola outbreak, Zika virus, and the COVID-19 pandemic, have underscored the importance of resilience in healthcare. A group researchers conducted a systematic literature review to provide a comprehensive understanding of resilience in healthcare (Agostini et al, 2023). Their study identified key dimensions of resilience, such as the approach (reactive vs. proactive) and the type of crisis (acute shocks vs. chronic stressors).…”

“…Their study identified key dimensions of resilience, such as the approach (reactive vs. proactive) and the type of crisis (acute shocks vs. chronic stressors). Their research offers a novel classification framework that can guide future studies in this domain, emphasizing the need for proactive strategies to anticipate health challenges and reactive measures to respond effectively (Agostini et al, 2023).…”