18253: Studying Healthcare Transformation: Methodologies to Capture and Contribute to Complex Changes

Healthcare systems are experiencing rapid and complex transformations in response to challenges such as digital innovation, value-based care, and inter-organizational collaboration. These changes are dynamic, relational, and multi-layered, demanding research methodologies that go beyond traditional linear approaches. Traditional evidence-based methods often struggle to capture the fluidity and interconnectedness of longitudinal changes, isolating research findings from the lived realities of the studied contexts and limiting their practical applicability. This Professional Development Workshop (PDW) introduces scholars to participatory and context-sensitive research methodologies tailored to studying complex, longitudinal healthcare transformations. Participants will explore a range of methodologies, including Action Research, Realist Evaluation, Design Study, the Ripple Effect Method, and Learning History. Each methodology addresses specific aspects of inter-organizational change, from practical intervention design to understanding contextual mechanisms and systemic impacts. The workshop will engage participants in discussions of the strengths and weaknesses of these methodologies, highlight their applicability through real-world examples, and facilitate co-creation exercises to explore how these approaches can be integrated. By leveraging these methodologies collectively, researchers can generate actionable insights and evidence-based strategies to better understand and manage complex healthcare transformations. This session invites collaboration to advance the methodological toolkit for impactful healthcare research.