Social networks in health care teams: evidence from the United States

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to synthesize existing evidence regarding health care team networks, including their formation and association with outcomes in various health care settings. Design/methodology/approach Network theory informed this review. A literature search was conducted in major databases for studies that used social network analysis methods to study health care teams in the USA between 2000 and 2014. Retrieved studies were reviewed against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Findings Overall, 25 studies were included in this review. Results demonstrated that health care team members form professional (e.g. consultation) and personal (e.g. friendship) networks. Network formation can be influenced by team member characteristics (i.e. demographics and professional affiliations) as well as by contextual factors (i.e. providers sharing patient populations and physical proximity to colleagues). These networks can affect team member practice such as adoption of a new medication. Network structures can also impact patient and organizational outcomes, including occurrence of adverse events and deficiencies in health care delivery. Practical implications Administrators and policy makers can use knowledge of health care networks to leverage relational structures in teams and tailor interventions that facilitate information exchange, promote collaboration, increase diffusion of evidence-based practices, and potentially improve individual and team performance as well as patient care and outcomes. Originality/value Most health services research studies have investigated health care team composition and functioning using traditional social science methodologies, which fail to capture relational structures within teams. Thus, this review is original in terms of focusing on dynamic relationships among team members.

Network analysis of medical care services

“…For example, the authors indicate that a team member with a higher “net degree” will potentially receive more influence from outside, the desired outcome but also one that may dampen the cohesion of the team. Poghosyan et al 11 in their study conduct a systematic review of studies that apply SNA methods to social networks in health care. One of their highlights is that professional and personal networks do have the potential to affect the delivery of medical care, such as in the adoption of new drugs.…”

Using Social Network Analysis to Investigate Positive EOL Communication

“…(5) Studies using SNA on health care teams have examined communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing behaviors between providers. (6,7) From a public health perspective, SNA usage extends to tracking disease transmission, diffusion of health innovations, social support and social capital on health behavior, and organizational structures of health systems among others. (8)…”

Mapping a Careflow Network to assess the connectedness of Connected Health

“…Thus, healthcare comprises of an extremely diverse group of people who interact with one another to deliver a service. 24 These include the following:…”

“…27 For example, it can inform us how the healthcare network is structured, who or what are the most influential/powerful stakeholders, 27 what is the resource flow and where are the service bottlenecks. 24 Understanding and analysing the relational infrastructure can present opportunities of where technology could potentially optimise healthcare service operations to support a healthcare ecosystem. Thus, while there are some existing modelling techniques which apply to certain context, their application to examine the relational structure of a Careflow Network is inadequate.…”