INFORMATION NEEDS OF DECISION-MAKERS IN HEALTHCARE: REDUCING THE KNOWLEDGE TO ACTION GAP

Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Poster Board # PS4-48

Negin N. Fouladi, PhD, MPH, MS, Stephen H. Linder, PhD, Charles E. Begley, PhD and Robert O. Morgan, PhD, University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX

SMDM ABSTRACT 2014

Information Needs of Decision-Makers in Healthcare: Reducing the Knowledge to Action Gap

Purpose:    The purpose of this study was to identify public and private decision-makers' healthcare information needs to promote information use and evidence-informed decision-making.  This study is part of a broader knowledge translation assessment of information uptake and use within the US.

Method:    Open-ended key-informant interviews were conducted with a sample of 37 decision-makers in the Houston/Harris County Healthcare Safety Net, including legislators, executive managers, service providers, and healthcare funders.  Decision-makers were asked to identify current practices as well as preferences for sources, formats/styles, and modes of receiving information in making important decisions and the basis for their preferences.

Result:    The findings revealed that decision-makers use various sources, formats/styles, and modes of information generally based on availability, however, prefer: (1) their own organizations, government organizations, organizations with similar missions and goals as sources of information; (2) short summaries, full analysis, and white papers as formats/styles of information; and (3) information received through face-to-face briefings, email, and web searches, based on the need for timely, time-saving, and trustworthy or “quality” information.

Conclusion:    The findings of this study may be used to promote healthcare information use in efforts to reduce the evidence to policy and practice gap.  By becoming familiar with decision-makers' practices and preferences for information, knowledge producers and users can work towards developing mutually valued, comprehensible, and usable findings within complex health systems leading to sustainable knowledge translation efforts long-term.