We are writing to acknowledge the recent publication titled “Home-Based Medical Care Service Motivation Among Medical Staff in Beijing, China: The Role of Institutional Support” by Yutong Yang et al published in Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare for its valuable contribution to health research.1 The study, which achieved a significant response rate of 66.12% among medical staff providing home-based medical care services, sheds light on the crucial role of institutional support in motivating healthcare professionals. The results showed that factors such as gender, position, job type, job title and years of experience were significantly associated with the provision of home medical care services. In addition, the study highlighted the prevalence of specific services provided by healthcare professionals, with the majority of respondents providing home treatment or nursing services, while services such as rehabilitation and palliative care were less common.

However, despite the insightful findings presented in the study, there are some critical limitations that need to be considered. First, the fact that the study relies on self-reporting by medical staff may lead to response bias and possible inaccuracies in reporting the frequency and type of home medical care services provided. Secondly, the cross-sectional design of the study limits the possibility of establishing causal relationships between institutional support and the motivation of medical staff. In addition, the study’s focus on a specific geographic location (Beijing, China) may limit the generalizability of the results to other regions or healthcare facilities.

Going forward, it is important to address these limitations and consider the following recommendations for future research in this area. First, conducting longitudinal studies to track changes in motivation and service provision over time would provide more robust evidence on the impact of institutional support.2 Second, exploring the perspectives of patients using home medical care services could provide valuable insights into the quality and effectiveness of care provided by motivated medical staff.3 Finally, developing tailored training programs and incentives for healthcare professionals to improve their skills and knowledge in home care could further improve service delivery and patient outcomes.4

To summarize, the study on the motivation of home care providers in Beijing, China, makes an important quantitative contribution to understanding the role of institutional support in motivating medical staff. Although the study has its limitations, the findings provide valuable insights for policy makers, healthcare institutions and researchers to improve the provision of home-based medical care services. If these limitations are addressed and the recommended strategies are implemented, future research in this area has the potential to bring about positive changes in healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.

This letter received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

The authors declare no competing interests in this communication.

1. Yang Y, Gu M, Li X, et al. Home-based medical care service motivation among medical staff in Beijing, China: the role of institutional support. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2024;17:2227–2237. doi:10.2147/JMDH.S459013

2. Howard JL, Morin AJS, Gagné M. A longitudinal analysis of motivation profiles at work. Motiv Emot. 2021;45:39–59. doi:10.1007/s11031-020-09852-4

3. Zhou R, Cheng J, Wang S, Yao N. A qualitative study of home health care experiences among Chinese homebound adults. BMC Geriatr. 2021;21:1–9. doi:10.1186/s12877-021-02258-y

4. Newbould L, Samsi K, Wilberforce M. Developing effective workforce training to support the long‐term care of older adults: a review of reviews. Health Soc Care Community. 2022;30:2202. doi:10.1111/hsc.13897