Postdoc with focus on patient-driven innovations in health care - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

We are looking for a post-doctoral researcher for a 2-year full time employment focusing on the co-production of care and patient-driven innovations in health care. The position is located in the research group Intervention processes and outcomes (PROCOME) within Medical Management Centre.

Department
The Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics (LIME) works within some of the key areas important to fulfilling the motto of Karolinska Institutet ´to improve human health´. We focus on research, development and education in the following areas: medical and healthcare education, informatics, management, ethics, and suicide prevention. LIME has about 150 employees and is located in new premises in Solna Campus. ki.se/lime

Medical Management Centre
Medical Management Centre offers academic education to health care professionals and managers and carry out research to support a science-based management practice in health care. Our vision is to address how resources in the form of competence, knowledge, material and other assets can best be used and developed to improve human health.

We work nationally, regionally and locally with authorities, health care providers and patient representatives as well as with educational and research institutions in medicine and health care and serves as a conveyor of knowledge and research related support for change and development. Our aim is to develop new knowledge through interaction with our partners and fruitful meetings between theory and practice.

The project and work tasks
The work will take place within the boundaries of a FORTE funded research program “Let the patients drive! Implementing patient-driven co-care innovations”. Background for the program is the situation where the prevalence of chronic illness increases, which puts new types of demands on healthcare services. The few hours per year that persons with chronic conditions encounter healthcare professionals is a small fraction of their life with their condition. Without patient participation no treatment can be carried out; thus healthcare services are co-produced. This reality requires a shift from professional-oriented care toward patient-oriented supported self-care. Co-care refers to the decisions and activities shared by patients, their informal caregivers, and professionals, aimed at achieving goals valued by the patient. Consequently, in contrast to involve patients in healthcare, healthcare needs to get involved in people’s self-care, to the extent that the patient needs and desires. Making this shift, however, has been challenging for health care practice. Given this implementation gap, the current program is based on four patient-driven co-care innovations and aims to study how new models of self-care and co-care are best implemented in everyday health care practice and patients’ lives, supported by eHealth. This program is collaboration with patients, their informal caregivers and healthcare providers, to ensure that the research meets patients’ needs.

As a post-doc, you will be involved in all parts of the program during the two first years. This period covers a literature review and empirical studies of how the patient-driven innovations are implemented and spread in clinical settings. The empirical part uses a prospective, case study design to answer research questions regarding how different stakeholders perceive and use the innovations, whether any patient sub-groups face challenges in participating in self-care and co-care and which implementation strategies and contextual factors (e.g., health information systems, organizational aspects) contribute to successful implementation of the innovations. The review focuses on literature about patient-driven innovations for self-care and co-care.

The work tasks include developing the case study design and methodology together with the research team, writing an ethical application, collecting data (mainly through individual and group interviews, observations, collection of documentation and questionnaires), running data analysis (mostly qualitative) and organizing the program activities. Furthermore, the work tasks include performance of the literature review using scoping methodology. In addition, the work tasks include writing scientific articles as well as presenting findings at scientific conferences, and popular scientific seminars. Lastly, the work tasks also include administrative tasks related to the research process, including establish routines related to research documentation.

Entry requirements
Qualified to be employed as a postdoctor is one who has obtained a doctorate or has equivalent scientific competence.

To be eligible for the position you must:

• Have obtained a PhD, alternatively planned dissertation during the spring term 2019, in scientific field with relevance for this project (e.g., health care science, psychology, management, behavioural sciences),
• Have experience and a strong interest in the area of research (i.e., implementation of innovations, patient self-care, co-care)
• Have experience of collaborative research projects between researchers, patients, their informal caregivers and health care professionals and managers
• Have experience of literature review
• Have verified experience of designing and conducting case studies
• Have experience in collecting data through interviews, observations, documents and questionnaires
• Have excellent skills in qualitative data analysis.
• Have some experience of analysing questionnaire data
• Experience of writing and publishing scientific articles, and presenting findings at scientific conferences
• Have excellent English skills both orally and written.

It is meritorious if you:

• Have current experience of research and/or practical work in health care setting
• Have theoretical knowledge about patient self-care, co-care and implementation
• Have experience of organizing large research programs
• Experience of carrying out process evaluations
• Experience of administrative tasks related to the research process, including establish routines related to research documentation
• Have experience of working independently with research.
• Have experience of writing an ethical application.
• Have good communication skills.
• Have good Swedish skills both orally and written.

We also place particular emphasis on your interest to contribute to health care improvements, to collaborative climate of the academic environment of the Medical Management Center, social skills, ability to collaborate and that you are service minded.

Application process
An employment application must contain the following documents in English or Swedish:

• A complete curriculum vitae, including date of the thesis defence, title of the thesis, previous academic positions, academic title, current position, academic distinctions, and committee work
• A complete list of publications
• A summary of current work (no more than one page)

The application is to be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.