Evidence-Based And Critical Thinking-Based Strategic Leadership Model For Crisis Response In Healthcare Service Governance
Keywords:
strategic leadership; evidence-based leadership; critical thinking; crisis response; healthcare governance.
Abstract
This study aims to identify the development of the literature on strategic leadership in healthcare services, analyze the relationship between evidence-based leadership and critical thinking in crisis decision-making, and formulate a conceptual model of strategic leadership grounded in evidence and critical thinking to strengthen crisis response in healthcare governance. The study employed a systematic literature review approach combined with bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer. The article selection process followed PRISMA guidelines through the stages of identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion. A total of 30 scientific articles published between 2017 and 2025 from Google Scholar, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science were systematically analyzed. The findings indicate that the literature has evolved from an initial focus on crisis management, leadership competencies, and organizational preparedness toward a stronger emphasis on evidence, decision making, clinical governance, and public health leadership. The network visualization revealed four main clusters: crisis leadership competencies, evidence-based decision-making, clinical governance implementation, and public health leadership in emergency settings. The thematic synthesis confirms that effective crisis response requires the integration of leadership competencies, the use of scientific evidence, critical thinking skills, the utilization of data and technology, and cross-sector collaboration. This study proposes a conceptual model that positions evidence and critical thinking as the core of strategic decision-making, which is then translated into clinical governance, resource management, and health system preparedness. This model offers both theoretical and practical contributions to strengthening strategic leadership in healthcare organizations, making them more adaptive, accountable, and resilient in responding to crises.
References
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Haupt, B. (2021). The use of crisis communication strategies in emergency management. Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, 18(2), 125–150.
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Jamil, M., Bokhari, T. B., & Zia, Q. (2024). Qualitative content analysis for critical thinking and skill development: A case of chemistry curriculum. Journal of Asian Development Studies, 13(1), 147–155.
Kapucu, N., & Ustun, Y. (2018). Collaborative crisis management and leadership in the public sector. International Journal of Public Administration, 41(7), 548–561. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2017.1280819
Khalil, H., Marcucci, J., & Liu, C. (2024). Leveraging new methodologies for public health crisis management. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1508417. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1508417
Khuwaja, I. G., Hayat, B., Bashir, S., Amir, M., Masod, F., & Mumtaz, N. (2024). The role of public health leadership in crisis management: Evaluating administrative responses to health emergencies and strategies development. Pak-Euro Journal of Medical and Life Sciences, 7(3), 491–500. https://doi.org/10.31580/pjmls.v7i3.3137
Krausz, M., Westenberg, J. N., Vigo, D., Spence, R. T., & Ramsey, D. (2020). Emergency response to COVID-19 in Canada: Platform development and implementation for eHealth in crisis management. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 6(2), e18995. https://doi.org/10.2196/18995
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Morse, V., & Warshawsky, N. E. (2021). Nurse leader competencies: Today and tomorrow. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 45(1), 65–70. https://doi.org/10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000453
Neumann, M., Niessen, A. S. M., & Meijer, R. R. (2021). Implementing evidence-based assessment and selection in organizations: A review and an agenda for future research. Organizational Psychology Review, 11(3), 205–239.
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Sallam, M., Stanley, A., Snygg, J., Jelley, D., & Sajwani, A. (2025). Empowering healthcare leadership through facilitators of evidence-based management: A narrative review and proposed conceptual framework. Frontiers in Management Science, 4(2), 39–63.
Sim, T., He, M., & Dominelli, L. (2022). Social work core competencies in disaster management practice: An integrative review. Research on Social Work Practice, 32(3), 310–321. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315211055427
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Suharto, S. (2023). Strategic leadership: Effective leadership in strategic management. Jurnal Ilmiah Multidisiplin Indonesia, 2(1), 38–44.
Tate, K., Penconek, T., Dias, B. M., Cummings, G. G., & Bernardes, A. (2023). Authentic leadership, organizational culture and the effects of hospital quality management practices on quality of care and patient satisfaction. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 79(8), 3102–3114.
Vitrianingsih, Y., & Gautama, E. C. (2022). Administrative frameworks for health system management and crisis response. Journal of Social Science Studies, 2(2), 189–194.
Wang, H., Sun, J., Shi, Y., & Shen, T. (2022). Driving the effectiveness of public health emergency management strategies through cross-departmental collaboration: Configuration analysis based on 15 cities in China. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 1032576.
Wicker, C. (2021). Competency-based approach to developing leaders for crises. New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development, 33(2), 52–59.
Afrihyia, E., Chianumba, E. C., Mustapha, A. Y., Omotayo, O., & Forkuo, A. Y. (2025). Healthcare policy and leadership: The role of experts in shaping national and global public health initiatives.
Andrieiev, I., Trehub, D., Khatsko, K., Sokolovska, I. S., & Ganzhiy, I. Y. (2024). Strategic management in healthcare: The impact of strategic decisions on achieving organizational goals and improving the quality of healthcare services.
Aouad, M., Hastie, M. J., & Karam, V. Y. (2024). Adaptive leadership in crisis: A healthcare system’s resilience journey. BMJ Leader. https://doi.org/10.1136/leader-2023
Aridi, A. S. (2025). Need for executive leadership coaching in public health, healthcare administration, public safety crisis management, and healthcare humanitarian relief. Health Economics and Management Review, 6(2), 76–94. https://doi.org/10.61093/hem.2025.2-06
Azarian, M., Yu, H., Shiferaw, A. T., & Stevik, T. K. (2023). Do we perform systematic literature review right? A scientific mapping and methodological assessment. Logistics, 7(4), 89. https://doi.org/10.3390/logistics7040089
Brownson, R. C., Steven, H., Deshpande, A. D., Gillespie, K. N., & Mazzucca-Ragan, S. (2025). Evidence-based public health. Oxford University Press.
Burkle, F. M., Jr. (2019). Challenges of global public health emergencies: Development of a health-crisis management framework. The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine, 249(1), 33–41. https://doi.org/10.1620/tjem.249.33
Burkle, F. M., Jr., Bradt, D. A., & Ryan, B. J. (2021). Global public health database support to population-based management of pandemics and global public health crises, part I: The concept. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 36(1), 95–104. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X20001351
Daouk-Öyry, L., Sahakian, T., & van de Vijver, F. (2021). Evidence-based management competency model for managers in hospital settings. British Journal of Management, 32(4), 1384–1403. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12434
Dias, D., Reis, J., Nunes, N., Ruxa, S., Severino, S. S. P., & Sousa, L. (2025). Nurse leadership and the challenges of clinical governance in emergency settings: A theoretical and reflective analysis. Nursing Depths Series, 4, 25. https://doi.org/10.56294/nds2025407
Donelli, C. C., Fanelli, S., Zangrandi, A., & Elefanti, M. (2022). Disruptive crisis management: Lessons from managing a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Management Decision, 60(13), 66–91. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-02-2021-0279
Dückers, M. L., Yzermans, C. J., Jong, W., & Boin, A. (2017). Psychosocial crisis management: The unexplored intersection of crisis leadership and psychosocial support. Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy, 8(2), 94–112. https://doi.org/10.1002/rhc3.12113
Elhabti, Z., & Assal, S. (2025). The impact of AI in reducing biases in managerial decision-making: Towards organizational agility and evidence-based leadership. Leadership and Organizational Insights, 1(2), 47–51.
El-Sabawi, T., & Carroll, J. J. (2021). A model for defunding: An evidence-based statute for behavioral health crisis response. Temple Law Review, 94, 1–36.
Ezzati, F., Mosadeghrad, A. M., & Jaafaripooyan, E. (2023). Resiliency of the Iranian healthcare facilities against the COVID-19 pandemic: Challenges and solutions. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1), 207. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09180-6
Forsgren, L., Tediosi, F., Blanchet, K., & Saulnier, D. D. (2022). Health systems resilience in practice: A scoping review to identify strategies for building resilience. BMC Health Services Research, 22(1), 1173. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08448-3
Godwins, O. P., Ochagwuba, E., Idoko, I. P., Akpa, F. A., Olajide, F. I., & Olatunde, T. I. (2024). Comparative analysis of disaster management strategies and their impact on nutrition outcomes in the USA and Nigeria. Business and Economics in Developing Countries, 2(2), 34–42.
Gwebu, K. L., Wang, J., & Wang, L. (2018). The role of corporate reputation and crisis response strategies in data breach management. Journal of Management Information Systems, 35(2), 683–714. https://doi.org/10.1080/07421222.2018.1451962
Haupt, B. (2021). The use of crisis communication strategies in emergency management. Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, 18(2), 125–150.
Ho, Y. R., Chen, B. Y., & Li, C. M. (2023). Thinking more wisely: Using the Socratic method to develop critical thinking skills amongst healthcare students. BMC Medical Education, 23(1), 173. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04115-0
Hussein, H. S., Bahmanpour, K., Fathi, M., & Fatemi, A. (2025). Applying critical thinking frameworks in public health: A systematic review of strategic approaches to enhance decision-making and policy development. Health Science Reports, 8(12), e71562. https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.71562
Jamil, M., Bokhari, T. B., & Zia, Q. (2024). Qualitative content analysis for critical thinking and skill development: A case of chemistry curriculum. Journal of Asian Development Studies, 13(1), 147–155.
Kapucu, N., & Ustun, Y. (2018). Collaborative crisis management and leadership in the public sector. International Journal of Public Administration, 41(7), 548–561. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2017.1280819
Khalil, H., Marcucci, J., & Liu, C. (2024). Leveraging new methodologies for public health crisis management. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1508417. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1508417
Khuwaja, I. G., Hayat, B., Bashir, S., Amir, M., Masod, F., & Mumtaz, N. (2024). The role of public health leadership in crisis management: Evaluating administrative responses to health emergencies and strategies development. Pak-Euro Journal of Medical and Life Sciences, 7(3), 491–500. https://doi.org/10.31580/pjmls.v7i3.3137
Krausz, M., Westenberg, J. N., Vigo, D., Spence, R. T., & Ramsey, D. (2020). Emergency response to COVID-19 in Canada: Platform development and implementation for eHealth in crisis management. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 6(2), e18995. https://doi.org/10.2196/18995
Lancaster, K., Rhodes, T., & Rosengarten, M. (2020). Making evidence and policy in public health emergencies: Lessons from COVID-19 for adaptive evidence-making and intervention. Evidence & Policy, 16(3), 477–490. https://doi.org/10.1332/174426420X15913559981103
Langan, J. C., Lavin, R., Wolgast, K. A., & Veenema, T. G. (2017). Education for developing and sustaining a health care workforce for disaster readiness. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 41(2), 118–127. https://doi.org/10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000225
Morse, V., & Warshawsky, N. E. (2021). Nurse leader competencies: Today and tomorrow. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 45(1), 65–70. https://doi.org/10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000453
Neumann, M., Niessen, A. S. M., & Meijer, R. R. (2021). Implementing evidence-based assessment and selection in organizations: A review and an agenda for future research. Organizational Psychology Review, 11(3), 205–239.
Nicola, M., Sohrabi, C., Mathew, G., Kerwan, A., Al-Jabir, A., Griffin, M., ... & Agha, R. (2020). Health policy and leadership models during the COVID-19 pandemic: A review. International Journal of Surgery, 81, 122–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2020.07.026
Ojika, F. U., Onaghinor, O., Esan, O. J., Daraojimba, A. I., & Ubamadu, B. C. (2024). Designing a business analytics model for optimizing healthcare supply chains during epidemic outbreaks: Enhancing efficiency and strategic resource allocation. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation, 5(1), 1657–1667. https://doi.org/10.54660/.IJMRGE.2024.5.1.1657-1667
Ominyi, J., Nwedu, A., Agom, D., & Eze, U. (2025). Leading evidence-based practice: Nurse managers’ strategies for knowledge utilisation in acute care settings. BMC Nursing, 24(1), 252. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-02912-5
Onyeador, I. N., Hudson, S. K. T., & Lewis, N. A., Jr. (2021). Moving beyond implicit bias training: Policy insights for increasing organizational diversity. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 8(1), 19–26.
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., ... & Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Pessin, V. Z., Yamane, L. H., & Siman, R. R. (2022). Smart bibliometrics: An integrated method of science mapping and bibliometric analysis. Scientometrics, 127(6), 3695–3718.
Sallam, M., Stanley, A., Snygg, J., Jelley, D., & Sajwani, A. (2025). Empowering healthcare leadership through facilitators of evidence-based management: A narrative review and proposed conceptual framework. Frontiers in Management Science, 4(2), 39–63.
Sim, T., He, M., & Dominelli, L. (2022). Social work core competencies in disaster management practice: An integrative review. Research on Social Work Practice, 32(3), 310–321. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315211055427
Soyege, O. S., Nwokedi, C. N., Tomoh, B. O., Mustapha, A. Y., Mbata, A. O., Balogun, O. D., ... & Imohiosen, C. E. (2024). Public health crisis management and emergency preparedness: Strengthening healthcare infrastructure against pandemics and bioterrorism threats. Journal of Frontiers in Multidisciplinary Research, 5(2), 52–68.
Sriharan, A., Hertelendy, A. J., Banaszak-Holl, J., Fleig-Palmer, M. M., Mitchell, C., Nigam, A., ... & Singer, S. J. (2022). Public health and health sector crisis leadership during pandemics: A review of the medical and business literature. Medical Care Research and Review, 79(4), 475–486.
Suharto, S. (2023). Strategic leadership: Effective leadership in strategic management. Jurnal Ilmiah Multidisiplin Indonesia, 2(1), 38–44.
Tate, K., Penconek, T., Dias, B. M., Cummings, G. G., & Bernardes, A. (2023). Authentic leadership, organizational culture and the effects of hospital quality management practices on quality of care and patient satisfaction. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 79(8), 3102–3114.
Vitrianingsih, Y., & Gautama, E. C. (2022). Administrative frameworks for health system management and crisis response. Journal of Social Science Studies, 2(2), 189–194.
Wang, H., Sun, J., Shi, Y., & Shen, T. (2022). Driving the effectiveness of public health emergency management strategies through cross-departmental collaboration: Configuration analysis based on 15 cities in China. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 1032576.
Wicker, C. (2021). Competency-based approach to developing leaders for crises. New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development, 33(2), 52–59.
Published
2026-05-16
How to Cite
Setiawan, I., & Anjar Budi Astoro. (2026). Evidence-Based And Critical Thinking-Based Strategic Leadership Model For Crisis Response In Healthcare Service Governance. International Journal of Education, Vocational and Social Science , 5(02), 1861-1892. https://doi.org/10.63922/ijevss.v5i02.3598
Contact Person +6282139474255
Email : ijevss@citakonsultindo.or.id / editor.ijevss@gmail.com
