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Cited by 96Competitive and Knowledge IntelligenceHealth Policy Implementation ScienceStrategic Planning and Analysis

Use of environmental scans in health services delivery research: a scoping review

Open access
Charlton, Patricia, Kean, Terri, Liu, Rebecca H, Nagel, Daniel A, Azar, Rima, Doucet, Shelley, Luke, Alison, Montelpare, William +2 more·2021·BMJ Open
DOI 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050284PMC PMC8587593
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Abstract

Objective: To examine the extent and nature of evidence on the use of the environmental scan (ES) in the health services delivery literature. Design: Scoping review. Methods: This scoping review followed the five-stage scoping review methodology outlined by Khalil et al . A Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies was completed. Seven electronic databases and the grey literature were searched. Pairs of researchers independently performed two levels of screening and data extraction. Data were analysed using qualitative content and thematic analysis. Results: Ninety-six studies were included in the scoping review. Researchers conducted ESs for many purposes, the most common being to examine the current state of programmes, services or policies. Recommendations were informed by ESs in 20% of studies. Most common data collection methods were literature review (71%), key informant or semistructured interviews (46%) and surveys (35%). Over half (53%) of the studies used a combination of passive (looking at information eg, literature, policies, guidelines) and active (looking for information eg, surveys, interviews) approaches to data collection. Person sources of data (eg, healthcare stakeholders, community representatives) and non-person sources of data (eg, documents, electronic databases, the web) were drawn on to a similar extent. The thematic analysis of the definitions/descriptions yielded several themes including instrument of discovery, knowledge synthesis, forward-looking and decision making. Research gaps identified included absence of a standard definition, inconsistencies in terminology and lack of guiding frameworks in the health services delivery context. Conclusion: ESs were conducted to gather evidence and to help inform decision making on a range of policy and health services delivery issues across the continuum of care. Consistency in terminology, a consensus definition and more guidance on ES design may help provide structure for researchers and other stakeholders, and ultimately advance ES as a methodological approach. A working definition of ES in a health services delivery context is presented.

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Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. [20]Tofts A, Walshe K. Managing resources. In: Walshe K, Smith J, eds. Healthcare management. 2nd ed. New York: Open University Press, McGraw-Hill Education, 2011: 452– 69.
  2. [44]Naumann DN, Reynolds JN, McColl MA. Environmental scan of programs for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in eastern Ontario. J Dev Disabil 2013; 19: 29– 49.
  3. [127]Blackman N. Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention Programming for Canada’s Indigenous Population [dissertation] Walden Dissertation and Doctoral Studies, Walden University; 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6444&context=dissertations [Accessed Feb 2021].
  4. [131]Deshpande A, Khoja S, Lorca J. Asynchronous Telehealth: systematic review of analytic studies and environmental scan of relative initiatives. Ottawa, Ontario Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH); 2008. https://www.cadth.ca/asynchronous-telehealth-systematic-review-analytic-studies-and-environmental-scan-relevant-0 [Accessed Feb 2021].
  5. [132]Deshpande A, Khoja S, McKibbon A. Telehealth for acute stroke management (telestroke): systematic review and environmental scan. Ottawa, Ontario Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH); 2008. https://www.cadth.ca/sites/default/files/pdf/456_Telestroke_to_e.pdf [Accessed Feb 2021].
  6. [134]Forsberg VC, Peters R, Napoles A. Environmental scan and literature review: factors that influence preventive service utilization among children covered by medicaid and CHIP. Baltimore, Maryland The Urban Institute; 2014. https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/24716/413236-Factors-that-Influence-Preventive-Service-Utilization-among-Children-Covered-by-Medicaid-and-CHIP.pdf [Accessed Feb 2021].

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Authors
Charlton, P., Kean, T., Liu, R. H., Nagel, D. A., Azar, R., Doucet, S., Luke, A., Montelpare, W., Mears, K., & Boulos, L.
Affiliations
  • University of Prince Edward Island (CA)
  • University of Toronto (CA)
  • University of Manitoba (CA)
  • Mount Allison University (CA)
  • University of New Brunswick (CA)
  • Maritime SPOR SUPPORT Unit, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Corresponding author
Charlton, Patricia
ORCID
Venue
BMJ Open
Publisher
BMJ
Published
2021-11
Volume
11
Issue
11
Pages
e050284
ISSN
2044-6055 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050284
PMC
PMC8587593
OpenAlex
W3214685505
Cited by
96
References
131
Citations by year
2026: 21 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 8
FWCI
10.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • BMJ Open (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • IslandScholar (University of Prince Edward Island) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Competitive and Knowledge Intelligence
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Policy Implementation Science
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Strategic Planning and Analysis
Keywords
environmental scanning, health care delivery, health policy, evidence-based decision making, data collection methods, continuum of care, research gaps
MeSH terms
Delivery of Health Care, Health Services, Health Services Research, Humans, Research Personnel, Knowledge

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