Table 2 Basic characteristics of participating clinicians
Characteristic | N (%) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Communication methods used in collaboration | Almost no | Seldom | Sometimes | Often | Always |
Face-to-face | 65 (8.1) | 114 (14.2) | 299 (37.2) | 266 (33.1) | 60 (7.5) |
Telephone | 59 (7.3) | 85 (10.6) | 239 (29.7) | 345 (42.9) | 76 (9.5) |
57 (7.1) | 52 (6.5) | 182 (22.6) | 406 (50.5) | 107 (13.3) | |
83 (10.3) | 115 (14.3) | 244 (30.3) | 289 (35.9) | 73 (9.1) | |
Research record, research abstract, memorandum | 93 (11.6) | 108 (13.4) | 246 (30.6) | 280 (34.8) | 77 (9.6) |
Videoconference | 113 (14.1) | 128 (15.9) | 259 (32.2) | 248 (30.8) | 56 (7.0) |
Face-to-face group meeting | 82 (10.2) | 116 (14.4) | 292 (36.3) | 258 (32.1) | 56 (7.0) |
Mobile short message | 118 (14.7) | 118 (14.7) | 248 (30.8) | 267 (33.2) | 53 (6.6) |
Preferred partners of collaboration | Strongly disagree | Disagree | Uncertain | Agree | Strongly agree |
University | 2 (0.2) | 4 (0.5) | 47 (5.8) | 465 (57.8) | 286 (35.6) |
Hospital | 2 (0.2) | 10 (1.2) | 80 (10.0) | 479 (59.6) | 233 (29.0) |
Research institute | 1 (0.1) | 1 (0.1) | 36 (4.5) | 479 (59.6) | 287 (35.7) |
Industry | 2 (0.2) | 32 (4.0) | 202 (25.1) | 390 (48.5) | 178 (22.1) |
Community | 8 (1.0) | 50 (6.2) | 225 (28.0) | 374 (46.5) | 147 (18.3) |
Advantages of collaboration | Strongly disagree | Disagree | Uncertain | Agree | Strongly agree |
Additional funds or resources | 7 (0.9) | 9 (1.1) | 102 (12.7) | 453 (56.3) | 233 (29.0) |
Promoted knowledge transfer | 7 (0.9) | 5 (0.6) | 46 (5.7) | 482 (60.0) | 264 (32.8) |
Enhanced institution reputation | 6 (0.7) | 6 (0.7) | 80 (10.0) | 471 (58.6) | 241 (30.0) |
Increased number of publications | 5 (0.6) | 3 (0.4) | 50 (6.2) | 474 (59.0) | 272 (33.8) |
Improved publication quality | 4 (0.5) | 2 (0.2) | 46 (5.7) | 464 (57.7) | 288 (35.8) |
Enriched academic influence | 4 (0.5) | 3 (0.4) | 43 (5.3) | 475 (59.1) | 279 (34.7) |
Additional clinical resources | 6 (0.7) | 8 (1.0) | 53 (6.6) | 463 (57.6) | 274 (34.1) |
More equipment resources | 5 (0.6) | 8 (1.0) | 61 (7.6) | 456 (56.7) | 274 (34.1) |
New technologies | 4 (0.5) | 3 (0.4) | 64 (8.0) | 470 (58.5) | 263 (32.7) |
Promoted treatment capability | 5 (0.6) | 3 (0.4) | 71 (8.8) | 468 (58.2) | 257 (32.0) |
Accelerated research process | 4 (0.5) | 6 (0.7) | 51 (6.3) | 457 (56.8) | 286 (35.6) |
Extra resources made available through collaboration | Strongly disagree | Disagree | Uncertain | Agree | Strongly agree |
Funds | 4 (0.5) | 17 (2.1) | 132 (16.4) | 474 (59.0) | 177 (22.0) |
Patients | 6 (0.7) | 23 (2.9) | 107 (13.3) | 475 (59.1) | 193 (24.0) |
Technologies | 4 (0.5) | 4 (0.5) | 44 (5.5) | 494 (61.4) | 258 (32.1) |
Equipment | 4 (0.5) | 5 (0.6) | 56 (7.0) | 492 (61.2) | 247 (30.7) |
Talents | 5 (0.6) | 8 (1.0) | 83 (10.3) | 487 (60.6) | 221 (27.5) |
Information | 5 (0.6) | 3 (0.4) | 44 (5.5) | 507 (63.1) | 245 (30.5) |
Personal capabilities influenced by collaboration | Strongly disagree | Disagree | Uncertain | Agree | Strongly agree |
Improved skills of communication | 2 (0.2) | 3 (0.4) | 59 (7.3) | 543 (67.5) | 197 (24.5) |
Improved skills of receiving new knowledge and technology | 2 (0.2) | 2 (0.2) | 55 (6.8) | 522 (64.9) | 223 (27.7) |
Improved skills of controlling over research programs | 1 (0.1) | 8 (1.0) | 115 (14.3) | 503 (62.6) | 177 (22.0) |
Disadvantages of collaboration | Strongly disagree | Disagree | Uncertain | Agree | Strongly agree |
More time spent on communication | 9 (1.1) | 74 (9.2) | 171 (21.3) | 469 (58.3) | 81 (10.1) |
Personal resource transfer | 12 (1.5) | 99 (12.3) | 210 (26.1) | 418 (52.0) | 65 (8.1) |
Loss of research autonomy and control | 11 (1.4) | 103 (12.8) | 219 (27.2) | 382 (47.5) | 89 (11.1) |
Deviation from one’s main research | 14 (1.7) | 103 (12.8) | 262 (32.6) | 358 (44.5) | 67 (8.3) |
Conflicts regarding key research points | 10 (1.2) | 69 (8.6) | 242 (30.1) | 403 (50.1) | 80 (10.0) |
Costs of collaboration | Strongly disagree | Disagree | Uncertain | Agree | Strongly agree |
Costs of selecting partners and collecting information | 2 (0.2) | 6 (0.7) | 74 (9.2) | 572 (71.1) | 150 (18.7) |
Costs of negotiation | 1 (0.1) | 10 (1.2) | 106 (13.2) | 536 (66.7) | 151 (18.8) |
Costs of implementation | 2 (0.2) | 5 (0.6) | 86 (10.7) | 552 (68.7) | 159 (19.8) |
Costs of supervision | 1 (0.1) | 7 (0.9) | 119 (14.8) | 522 (64.9) | 155 (19.3) |
Risks of collaboration | Strongly disagree | Disagree | Uncertain | Agree | Strongly agree |
Risks of coordinating the relationship among all partners | 2 (0.2) | 5 (0.6) | 98 (12.2) | 561 (69.8) | 138 (17.2) |
Risks of having unbalanced duties and responsibilities undertaken by different partners | 1 (0.1) | 5 (0.6) | 94 (11.7) | 543 (67.5) | 161 (20.0) |
Risks of dropping out or breaking of promises by partners | 1 (0.1) | 10 (1.2) | 108 (13.4) | 512 (63.7) | 173 (21.5) |
Challenges of collaboration | Strongly disagree | Disagree | Uncertain | Agree | Strongly agree |
Competition from other research organizations | 2 (0.2) | 12 (1.5) | 115 (14.3) | 519 (64.6) | 156 (19.4) |
Ethics review process | 2 (0.2) | 30 (3.7) | 135 (16.8) | 505 (62.8) | 132 (16.4) |
Insufficient research funds | 1 (0.1) | 20 (2.5) | 145 (18.0) | 497 (61.8) | 141 (17.5) |
Recruitment of project managers | 3 (0.4) | 4 (0.5) | 94 (11.7) | 506 (62.9) | 197 (24.5) |
Factors influencing collaboration | Strongly disagree | Disagree | Uncertain | Agree | Strongly agree |
Geographical locations of partners | 5 (0.6) | 20 (2.5) | 105 (13.1) | 517 (64.3) | 157 (19.5) |
Funds of partners | 1 (0.1) | 11 (1.4) | 121 (15.0) | 501 (62.3) | 170 (21.1) |
Technologies of partners | 2 (0.2) | 6 (0.7) | 50 (6.2) | 496 (61.7) | 250 (31.1) |
Information resources of partners | 2 (0.2) | 5 (0.6) | 56 (7.0) | 502 (62.4) | 239 (29.7) |
Academic status of partners | 2 (0.2) | 6 (0.7) | 84 (10.4) | 495 (61.6) | 217 (27.0) |
Mutual relationships of partners | 1 (0.1) | 8 (1.0) | 92 (11.4) | 495 (61.6) | 208 (25.9) |
Cooperation patterns of partners | 1 (0.1) | 4 (0.5) | 69 (8.6) | 529 (65.8) | 201 (25.0) |
Factors influencing successful collaboration | Very unimportant | Unimportant | Moderate | Important | Very important |
Set explicit collaboration aims | 2 (0.2) | 1 (0.1) | 50 (6.2) | 493 (61.3) | 258 (32.1) |
Set specific collaboration periods | 3 (0.4) | 4 (0.5) | 94 (11.7) | 506 (62.9) | 197 (24.5) |
Choose appropriate partners | 1 (0.1) | 2 (0.2) | 50 (6.2) | 480 (59.7) | 271 (33.7) |
Establish clear collaboration rules | 1 (0.1) | 5 (0.6) | 60 (7.5) | 492 (61.2) | 246 (30.6) |
Set clear-cut benefit distribution rules | 2 (0.2) | 8 (1.0) | 91 (11.3) | 464 (57.7) | 239 (29.7) |
Set explicit risk-taking rules | 1 (0.1) | 3 (0.4) | 90 (11.2) | 474 (59.0) | 236 (29.4) |
Maintain cooperative network relationships | 1 (0.1) | 8 (1.0) | 117 (14.6) | 497 (61.8) | 181 (22.5) |
Establish coordination and supervision mechanisms | 1 (0.1) | 5 (0.6) | 95 (11.8) | 488 (60.7) | 215 (26.7) |
Set penalty rules for violations of the collaboration agreement | 2 (0.2) | 10 (1.2) | 114 (14.2) | 475 (59.1) | 203 (25.2) |
Set rules for dealing with disputes or emergencies | 2 (0.2) | 4 (0.5) | 93 (11.6) | 488 (60.7) | 217 (27.0) |