Professor Sandra C. Buttigieg serves on KU Leuven Doctoral Jury

Prof. Sandra C. Buttigieg of the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, was invited by KU Leuven’s Faculty of Medicine and the Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Belgium, to serve as an external member of the doctoral examination jury for the public defence of a PhD dissertation entitled Care Left Undone Among Physicians: A Multilevel Mixed Methods Study by Dr Simon Dello, a researcher affiliated with KU Leuven’s Department of Public Health and Primary Care.

The public defence took place on 28 May 2026 at KU Leuven, Belgium.

The invitation reflects Prof. Buttigieg’s recognised expertise in public health, healthcare quality, health systems, and healthcare management, and underscores the growing international visibility of academic work conducted at the University of Malta.

The doctoral research examined the phenomenon of “care left undone” (CLU) among physicians across European healthcare systems. Using a comprehensive mixed-methods design, the study analysed survey data from over 1,900 physicians in six European countries, demonstrating that CLU is highly prevalent and strongly associated with workload pressures, staffing constraints, burnout, job dissatisfaction, and perceived reductions in quality of care. 

Further analyses highlighted the influence of organisational context on care delivery, showing that healthcare professionals working in high-strain environments experience significantly higher levels of unfinished care and burnout. A scoping review revealed a fragmented conceptual landscape of physician CLU, while qualitative interviews provided insight into how physicians experience, interpret, and rationalise unmet care demands in daily practice.

Overall, the dissertation represents one of the most comprehensive examinations of care left undone among physicians to date and contributes important evidence for healthcare leaders and policymakers seeking to strengthen healthcare quality, patient safety, and workforce sustainability. Dr Dello led several publications in top, high impact factor medical journals, and co-authored by his supervisory team, related to his doctoral research.

Prof. Buttigieg commented:

“Serving on the doctoral jury was a privilege and an intellectually enriching experience. The research is highly relevant to contemporary healthcare systems and highlights an issue that is both operational and deeply human. It was an honour to contribute to the assessment of such rigorous and impactful work, developed under the guidance of an excellent supervisory team. Engagement in such international academic fora also reinforces the importance of cross-country dialogue in addressing shared health system challenges.”

The participation further strengthens academic collaboration between the University of Malta and KU Leuven, one of Europe’s leading research-intensive universities, and reflects the University’s commitment to international engagement and research excellence.