L’adaptation des services de santé à l’égard de personnes migrantes : cas des services infirmiers en première ligne

Comment s’adaptent des organisations lorsqu’elles font face à des changements qui les dépassent? De cette question a émergé une recherche voulant comprendre comment et pourquoi des organisations de santé décident d’adapter (ou non) leurs services aux besoins et aux caractéristiques des populations migrantes accueillies sur leur territoire. Pour y répondre, cette thèse s’est intéressée à la gouvernance multiniveaux appliquée aux organisations de santé fournissant des services à des populations migrantes. Dans un contexte de régionalisation de l’immigration, la dynamique du processus migratoire est de mieux en mieux documentée, mais les capacités organisationnelles d’adaptation le sont beaucoup moins. Nous avons réalisé une étude de cas multiples à l’aide d’entrevues semi-directives auprès d’acteurs provenant de deux CSSS montéregiens (région au sud de Montréal, Québec) et des paliers locaux, régionaux et nationaux. Les résultats de cette étude ont permis (1) de mettre en évidence les différents acteurs impliqués dans ce processus d’adaptation, dont des acteurs de connectivité; (2) de cerner huit leviers d’action, divisés en trois catégories de leviers : administratif, émergent et d’habilitation. La possible imbrication de ces trois catégories de leviers facilite l’apparition de structures de connectivité, légitimant ainsi l’adaptation de l’organisation; et (3) de montrer l’ambigüité de l’adaptation à travers des facteurs d’influence qui favorisent ou entravent le processus d’adaptation à plusieurs niveaux de la gouvernance. Cette thèse est construite autour de quatre articles. Le premier, de nature conceptuelle, permet de circonscrire les concepts d’adaptation et de gouvernance multiniveaux à travers la lentille des théories de la complexité. Nous campons ainsi notre sujet dans une problématique liée à la vulnérabilité et la migration tout en appréhendant l’adaptation du système et son opérationnalisation au niveau local. Il en ressort un cadre conceptuel avec six propositions de recherches. Le second article permet quant à lui de comprendre les jeux des acteurs au sein d’une organisation de santé et à travers son Environnement. Le rôle spécifique d’acteurs de connectivité y est révélé. C’est dans un troisième article que nous nous intéressons davantage aux différents leviers d’action, analysés selon trois catégories : administrative, émergente et d’habilitation. Les acteurs peuvent les solliciter afin de d’adapter leurs pratiques au contexte particulier de la prise en charge de patients migrants. Un passage des acteurs aux structures de connectivité est alors rendu possible via un espace : la gouvernance multiniveaux. Enfin, le quatrième et dernier article s’articule autour de l’analyse des différents facteurs pouvant influencer l’adaptation d’une organisation de santé, en lien avec son Environnement. Il en ressort principalement que les facteurs identifiés sont pour beaucoup des leviers d’action (cf. article3) qui à travers le temps, et par récursivité, deviennent des facteurs d’influence. De plus, le type d’interdépendance développé par les acteurs a tendance soit à façonner un Environnement « stable », laissant reposer les besoins d’adaptation sur les acteurs opérationnels; soit à façonner un Environnement plus « accidenté », reposant davantage sur des interactions diversifiées entre les acteurs d’une gouvernance multiniveaux. De cette adéquation avec l’Environnement à façonner découle l’ambigüité de s’adapter ou non pour une organisation.How do organizations adapt when faced with changes that exceed their current capacities? More specifically how and why do healthcare organizations choose to adapt- or not- their services to the needs and characteristics of new and established migrant populations? In this thesis, we attempt to answer these questions using a conceptual model of multilevel governance, applicable to healthcare organizations that provide primary care to migrant population. In a context of regionalized immigration, the dynamics of the migration process are well documented, however organizations abilities to adapt are less so. We conducted a multiple case study, collecting data from semi-structured interviews with providers from two healthcare organizations from Montéregie region (South shore of Montréal, Québec) as well as stakeholders from local, regional and national scale. The data collected has allowed us, (1) to identify the most significant stakeholders in adaptation process and to highlight the connectivity between them; (2) to reveal eight action levers that we divided in three categories: administrative, emerging and enabling. The possible imbrications of these three categories facilitate the creation of connectivity structures that legitimate the organization’s adaptation; and (3) to show the ambiguity of adaptation through the influence of facilitating or hindering factors at several levels of governance. This thesis is structured on four articles. The first article is conceptual: adaptation and multilevel governance are therein defined through the framework of complexity theory. We anchor our subject in the vulnerability and migration schemata, while apprehending the system’s adaptation at the local scale. The result is a conceptual framework with six research propositions. The second article elaborates on the dynamics among stakeholders within healthcare organizations, its networks and the Environment. The specific role of the connectivity between stakeholders is highlighted. In the third article, we focus on the different action levers, which are analysed in three categories: administrative, emerging and enabling. The stakeholders seek to adapt their practices to the particular context of providing timely and appropriate care to migrant patients. A transition from connectivity between actors and structures is then made possible through multilevel governance. Finally, the fourth article is an analysis of the different factors that influence a healthcare organization’s adaptation with regards to the Environment. The results show that many identified factors are firstly action levers (see article 3), and become through time and recursively of influence factors. In addition, the type of interdependence developed between the stakeholders tends to shape either “stable” Environment which transfers the responsibility of the adaptation to the operational stakeholders or “rugged” Environment based on diverse and decentralized interactions between stakeholders through multilevel of governance. From this constant adjustment with the Environment appears the ambiguity of the adaptation for a healthcare organization

Changing nursing practice within primary health care innovations: the case of advanced access model

Background: The advanced access (AA) model has attracted much interest across Canada and worldwide as a means of ensuring timely access to health care. While nurses contribute significantly to improving access in primary healthcare, little is known about the practice changes involved in this innovative model. This study explores the experience of nurse practitioners and registered nurses with implementation of the AA model, and identifies factors that facilitate or impede change. Methods: We used a longitudinal qualitative approach, nested within a multiple case study conducted in four university family medicine groups in Quebec that were early adopters of AA. We conducted semi-structured interviews with two types of purposively selected nurses: nurse practitioners (NPs) (n = 6) and registered nurses (RNs) (n = 5). Each nurse was interviewed twice over a 14-month period. One NP was replaced by another during the second interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis based on two principles of AA and the Niezen & Mathijssen Network Model 2014). Results: Over time, RNs were not able to review the appointment system according to the AA philosophy. Half of NPs managed to operate according to AA. Regarding collaborative practice, RNs were still struggling to participate in team-based care. NPs were providing independent and collaborative patient care in both consultative and joint practice, and were assuming leadership in managing patients with acute and chronic diseases. Thematic analysis revealed influential factors at the institutional, organizational, professional, individual and patient level, which acted mainly as facilitators for NPs and barriers for RNs. These factors were: 1) policy and legislation; 2) organizational policy support (leadership and strategies to support nurses’ practice change); facility and employment arrangements(supply and availability of human resources); Inter-professional collegiality; 3) professional boundaries; 4) knowledgeand capabilities; and 5) patient perceptions. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that healthcare decision-makers and organizations need to redefine the boundaries of each category of nursing practice within AA, and create an optimal professional and organizational context that supports practice transformation. They highlight the need to structure teamwork efficiently, and integrate and maximize nurses’ capacities within the team throughout AA implementation in order to reduce waiting times

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

AMÉLIORER LES SERVICES D’ÉVALUATION PSYCHOSOCIALE OFFERTS AUX PERSONNES RÉFUGIÉES À LEUR ARRIVÉE AU QUÉBEC

Cet article porte sur la pertinence des services d’évaluation psychosociale offerts dans le cadre du programme Passerelle aux personnes réfugiées, dès leur arrivée au Québec. Selon un devis de recherche qualitatif, 28 participants originaires d’Afghanistan et d’Afrique subsaharienne, et deux travailleuses sociales, ont été rencontrés lors d’entretiens en groupe ou en individuel. Des recommandations proposées par les participants pour améliorer l’évaluation psychosociale sont présentées et discutées à la lumière de celles faites par des chercheurs. L’exhaustivité de l’évaluation et les courts délais de temps prévus pour l’effectuer sont notamment questionnés, ainsi que l’efficacité de cette mesure pour pallier les iniquités d’accès aux services de santé et psychosociaux.This article concerns the relevance of psychosocial assessment services offered to refugees as part of the program Passerelle upon their arrival in Quebec. Using a qualitative research design, 28 participants coming from Afghanistan and sub-Saharan Africa, and two social workers, were interviewed through focus group or individual interviews. Recommendations proposed by the participants in order to improve the psychosocial assessment are presented. These recommendations are discussed based on recommendations drawn from scientific literature. Among others, the completeness of the assessment and the short timeframe available to conduct it are questioned, as well as the efficiency of this measure to tackle the inequities of access to health and psychosocial services

The challenges of implementing advanced access for residents in family medicine in Quebec. Do promising strategies exist?

Background: The advanced access (AA) model is a highly recommended innovation to improve timely access to primary healthcare. Despite that many studies have shown positive impacts for healthcare professionals, and for patients, implementing this model in clinics with a teaching mission for family medicine residents poses specific challenges. Objective: To identify these challenges within these clinics, as well as potential strategies to address them. Design: The authors adopted a qualitative multiple case study design, collected data in 2016 using semi-structured interviews (N = 40) with healthcare professionals and clerical staff in four family medicine units in Quebec, and performed a thematic analysis. They validated results through a discussion workshop, involving many family physicians and residents practicing in different regions Results: Five challenges emerged from the data: 1) choosing, organizing residents’ patient; 2) managing and balancing residents’ appointment schedules; 3) balancing timely access with relational continuity; 4) understanding the AA model; 5) establishing collaborative practices with other health professionals. Several promising strategies were suggested to address these challenges, including clearly defining residents’ patient panels; adopting a team-based care approach; incorporating the model into academic curriculum and clinical training; proactive and ongoing education of health professionals, residents, and patients; involving residents in the change process and in adjustment strategies. Conclusions: To meet the challenges of implementing AA, decision-makers should consider exposing residents to AA during academic training and clinical internships, involving them in team work on arrival, engaging them as key actors in the implementation and in intra- and inter-professional collaborative models