Stacy Posillico
Stacy F. Posillico, MLS, JD, AHIP-D is the Senior Librarian for Northwell's Eastern Region Hospitals and is part of the system's Office of Academic Affairs. With over 13 years' experience, Stacy provides collaborative support in her current role to the graduate medical education and nursing departments within seven hospitals by offering services aligned with ACGME and MAGNET standards. She delivers literature search assistance, education to support research and scholarly activities, and guidance on the ethical use of artificial intelligence in health professions. Stacy's research focuses on enhancing clinicians' writing and dissemination skills to elevate diverse voices and on innovation in medical library systems. She actively leads within professional organizations and frequently presents at conferences. Stacy holds an M.L.S. with a Certificate of Academic Excellence from St. John’s University, a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law, and a B.A. summa cum laude in Political Science and Justice from American University.
Session
Introduction: Little empirical research exists to guide hospital librarians through healthcare system mergers or acquisitions. To address this gap, an e-Delphi research study was used to develop expert-driven recommendations prioritizing those tasks librarians should undertake when consolidating library services in newly merged, geographically distributed healthcare systems.
Methods: A literature review through January 2021, updated October 2023, identified relevant publications but no research. Twenty-nine hospital librarians who had merger experience in the last ten years within the United States participated as experts in a modified e-Delphi study conducted according to CREDES standards. The panel completed four questionnaire rounds from April to December 2022. In Round 1, they identified tasks librarians should undertake during system mergers. In Rounds 2 to 4, tasks rated 5, 6, or 7 on a Likert Scale by ≥75% of panelists were included in the final consensus statement.
Results: A statement of 330 recommended tasks for librarians to consider during healthcare system mergers and acquisitions was created. Recommended tasks are organized within four domains: Healthcare Organization, Library Collections & Information Systems, Library Administration, and Library Staff Integration & Interconnection. Tasks related to information technology services, vendor relations, and library organizational structure were more likely to be prioritized than tasks involving marketing and physical space. Expert insight highlighted understanding context and culture when undertaking recommended tasks.
Discussion: This research introduces consensus-based actionable tasks to consider in future mergers and acquisitions. Collaboration with Canadian hospital librarians to adapt and validate the recommendations within provincial governance and funding contexts is invited.