Patient safety in health systems has become more and more important as a theme in health research, and so it is not surprising to see a growing interest in applying systems thinking to healthcare. However there is a difficulty – health systems are very complex and constantly adapting to respond to core drivers and fit needs. How do you apply systems thinking in this situation, and what methods are available? National health authorities, international donors and research practitioners need to know the “how-to” of conducting health systems research from a systems thinking perspective.
This book will fill this gap and provide a range of tools that give clear guidance of ways to carry out systems thinking in health, with real-world examples. These methodologies include:
• System dynamics and causal loops
• Network analysis
• Outcome mapping
• Soft systems methodology
And many more.
Written by an international team of experts in health research, this handbook will be essential reading for those working in or researching public health, health policy, health systems, global health, service improvement and innovation in practice..
“With this new book, health researchers have a detailed guide for applying system thinking tools in day-to-day operations to identify and solve issues related to health policy and systems.”
Ghaffar Abdul, Executive Director of the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, Switzerland
“This book is the first to present practical options for applying systems thinking to understand complexity in health systems. The editors compile an essential collection of practical tools for understanding complex problems and framing research questions, as well as for determining and managing related solutions.”
Ligia Paina, PhD, Assistant Professor, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, USA
“This keenly-awaited book offers a lucid and comprehensive discussion on how to research complex health systems. The book provides invaluable help in navigating this complexity and applying rigorous as well as pragmatic approaches to capturing dynamic interactions between system elements and causal loops.”
Dina Balabanova, PhD, Associate Professor, Health Systems/Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK
“This book is timely to help equip individuals or researchers with practical tools that are expected to empower the field and facilitate greater and more relevant evidence production for better policy making in health.”
George Gotsadze, Director, Curatio International Foundation
“This methodological handbook includes variety of essential tools and provides excellent guidance for health system researchers and managers when investigating and resolving complex health systems problems.”
Fadi El-Jardali, Professor of Health Policy and Systems, American University of Beirut, Lebanon
Professor Don de Savigny is an epidemiologist and public health specialist. He is currently Head of the Health Systems Research Unit in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, University of Basel, Switzerland. He is also an Alumnus, Honorary Professor and former Heath Clark Lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He has extensive experience in conducting and facilitating health research in developing countries and has lived and worked for many years in Africa. His current research focuses on interventions to strengthen health systems in developing countries, and on the health system effects of Global Health Initiatives for scaling up access.Dr Karl Blanchet is a Lecturer in Health Systems Research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He is also a Lecturer at the International Centre for Eye Health, International Centre for evidence in Disability at LSHTM, and co-founder of the Public Health in Humanitarian Crises Group. Karl has a background in public health and extensive experience in health system strengthening in Asia. Karl has specific interests in studying sustainability and resilience of health systems especially in post-conflict and conflict-affected countries. Karl has also applied innovation theories to understand the routinisation process of health interventions. Dr Taghreed Adam, is a Scientist, Research and Knowledge Translation (RKT), World Health Organization. Taghreed Adam is also a Pediatrician and Health Economist. Having joined WHO in 1999, she focused on methodological and analytical developments in the areas of costing and the economic evaluation of health interventions. She also led projects for the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research. In 2014, she joined the RKT team of WHO where her main responsibilities include managing the implementation of the WHO strategy on research for health, including the development of the Global Health Research & Development Observatory, and playing a crucial role in the efforts rendered to Member States in developing mechanisms to integrate research and its translation into policy, services and products.
