(Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Management, 2003, 2003) D'Agnone, Kristene; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Management; Chreim, Samia
This study focuses on the dynamics enabling or constraining radical change in a health care unit in a rural region of Alberta. The unit envisioned change from a fragmented, treatment-based model to an integrative, prevention-based model of health care delivery. This research adopts a case study approach that relies on multiple sources of data including written documents and interviews with groups such as physicians, nurse practitioners (NP), and public health nurses (PHN), who were directly involved in the changes towards integration. The data indicate that a number of institutional and organizational elements facilitated and constrained the change. The findings also indicate that at the time of the study, the unit was experiencing an oscillation between parallel structures derived from two archetypes in order to maintain quality patient care.