Hw t be a gd research partner A guide fr health-system managers and plicy makers
OUR PURPOSE OUR PURPOSE Visin Our visin is a strng Canadian healthcare system that is guided by slid, research-based management and plicy decisins. Missin Our missin is t supprt evidence-based decisin-making in the rganizatin, management and delivery f health services thrugh funding research, building capacity and transferring knwledge. Apprach Our fcus is n the peple wh run the health system, as well as health services researchers. We help them get invlved in research that makes a difference, help them prduce, find and apply new knwledge t imprve management and plicy decisins, and bring the tw grups tgether s they can each influence each ther s wrk and share ideas and experiences. This dcument is available n the Canadian Health Services Research Fundatin Web site (www.chsrf.ca). Requests fr hard cpies can be sent t publicatins@chsrf.ca. Fr mre infrmatin n the Canadian Health Services Research Fundatin, cntact the fundatin at: 1565 Carling Avenue, Suite 700 Ottawa, Ontari K1Z 8R1 E-mail: admin@chsrf.ca Telephne: (613) 728-2238 Fax: (613) 728-3527
Key implicatins fr decisin makers Participatin in cllabrative research requires a prfessinal relatinship based n teamwrk and c-peratin. It des nt represent a traditinal client-cntractr relatinship. Being a decisin-maker partner ffers the pprtunity t participate in expanding the amunt f scientific evidence available fr use in making decisins within an rganizatin. Decisin makers can participate at a variety f levels - frm having a funder/advisr rle t being ne f the principal investigatrs. Being a decisin-maker partner des nt have t require a large amunt f time; partnership is meant t be flexible, depending n the rle and needs f the decisin maker. Participatin in the research prcess makes it easier t understand the results and put them int practice. 3 The Canadian Health Services Research Fundatin wuld like t thank Quebec's Ministry f Health and Scial Services fr allwing us t use infrmatin frm its partnership guide in this dcument.
4 Intrductin This guide was designed t be used by managers and ther decisin makers in the health system. It is based n wrk dne by the Quebec Ministry f Health and Scial Services t help managers there understand what it means t be an individual decisin-maker partner, as part f a research team, n cllabrative research funded by the Canadian Health Services Research Fundatin. This guide can be used and adapted by decisin makers in any jurisdictin interested in cllabrating n research. This guide cntains infrmatin n the fllwing tpics: What is a decisin-maker partner? What is cllabrative research? What d I need t knw abut being a decisinmaker partner? Why shuld I participate in cllabrative research as a decisin-maker partner? What d I need t d and hw much time will it take? Hw d I becme a decisin-maker partner in cllabrative research? What are the parameters f the partnership? At what stage d I get invlved with preparing the research? Will I prvide funding fr the research? Hw will we reslve prblems that cme up? Hw will we evaluate the success f the partnership when the research is finished? Sharing the results: hw d I get the wrd ut? Invite the researchers t speak t decisin makers Reprt n hw the research is ging Help the research team identify the key results and messages Release the results in a timely manner What ther resurces are available t decisinmaker partners? Theme fficers Newsletters Intra/Internet Cnclusin What is a decisin-maker partner? Individual decisin makers becme partners in cllabrative research when they wrk either as members f the investigative team r when they play a significant advisry rle. Decisin makers participatin as partners n cllabrative research demnstrates clearly the imprtance f the tpic t them. It als demnstrates that they are cmmitted t sharing issues and results and t develping an nging relatinship with a grup f researchers t imprve the decisin-making r plicy aspects f their wrk. Becming a decisin-maker partner is nt a traditinal client-cntractr relatinship; rather, it is a prfessinal relatinship where each partner respects the expertise and skills f the ther t wrk fr their mutual benefit. What is cllabrative research? Cllabrative research invlves a partnership between researchers and decisin makers - healthsystem managers and plicy makers. It fcuses n applying research t health services prblems and aims t find cncrete answers t difficult prblems. Cllabrative research includes linkage and exchange - the regular sharing f issues and results between researchers and the peple wh need t use research results. It als invlves the decisin-maker partners in designing disseminatin and knwledge transfer activities, bth fr their wn rganizatin and fr a brader netwrk f ptential users.
What d I need t knw abut being a decisin-maker partner? Why shuld I participate in cllabrative research as a decisinmaker partner? Participatin in cllabrative research usually increases the amunt f scientific evidence available t use when making rganizatinal decisins. Decisin makers frm the Quebec Ministry f Health and Scial Services wh have participated in cllabrative research have fund many benefits: Decisin makers have mre cnfidence in and a better understanding f the research results. Rather than simply getting a reprt, they understand why the research results are valid and what the limits are. This then encurages decisin makers t use the results in their daily wrk. Decisin makers can advise the researchers with whm they re wrking. They can tell their research partners which results are the mst imprtant t decisin makers, and they can prvide advice n the best way t present results. Decisin makers develp a sense f bjectivity. This allws them t lk at their rganizatin with a mre critical eye and encurages fresh thinking. Decisin makers have mre cntact with a wider scpe f research, which imprves their level f scientific knwledge. Decisin makers have rapid access t preliminary research data, which helps them t start making early crrectins t nted prblems. What d I need t d and hw much time will it take? The specific activities f decisin-maker partners can vary depending n their interests, skill sets, and availability. Their rle may als depend n the nature f the research and the type f relatinship that suits bth the researchers and decisin makers. The requirements shuld be designed t be flexible and shuld be adapted t meet the needs f each partner. The amunt f time decisin makers invest in the partnership als varies greatly, depending n hw invlved they decide t becme. Fr instance, participatin in an advisry cmmittee generally requires attending meetings at majr stages f the research, mstly during planning at the beginning f the research and then at the end f the research when the results are ready t be disseminated and used. Between these stages, nly minimal invlvement is required. If the decisin-maker partners are prviding access t their rganizatin s data and internal dcuments, they will mainly be invlved when the researchers gather their infrmatin. On the ther hand, if a decisin-maker partner wants t get invlved in the research itself, participatin requires increased availability and smetimes requires specialized training r expertise. Hw d I becme a decisin-maker partner in cllabrative research? What are the parameters f the partnership? Befre the research begins, the researchers and the decisin-maker partners shuld agree n their respective rles. They shuld use this early stage t decide hw much time will be invested by the decisin-maker partners, what rles they will have, and what research gals and questins have the greatest ptential benefit fr decisin makers. At what stage d I get invlved with preparing the research? It is imprtant that the decisin-maker partners help the research team define the gals and bjectives f 5
the research, as well as identify the ptential users f the results. The decisin-maker partners help ensure the results will be f assistance t their rganizatins. evidence available t decisin makers and included in decisin-making practices. There are several steps the decisin-maker partners can take t help ensure this happens. 6 Will I prvide funding fr the research? Nt all decisin-maker partners prvide funding t the research team. A cntributin f time r access t decisin-making rganizatins infrmatin resurces can be just as valuable. Therefre, ne f the first items t discuss is whether the decisinmaker partners will act as funders and, if s, what the partners expectatins and requirements are. Hw will we reslve prblems that cme up? As with any prfessinal relatinship, researchers and decisin makers wh are cllabrating n research need t have a system in place t reslve prblems. This will vary with the needs and cmfrt level f the individuals invlved, and culd include cmmunicating thrugh a liaisn r regular meetings f bth partners. Hw will we evaluate the success f the partnership when the research is finished? Research partnerships can be evaluated in much the same way as any ther partnership. Evaluatin shuld be nging thrughut the length f the partnership, and it can include measures such as hw frequently the research is used r the number f new prfessinal pprtunities that arise frm the wrk. It is imprtant t remember that researchers may have different indicatrs f success than decisin makers d, s it is imprtant bth sides knw frm the beginning what utcmes they are seeking. Sharing the results: hw d I get the wrd ut? The gal f a researcher-decisin-maker partnership is t make mre research-based Invite the researchers t speak t decisin makers The decisin-maker partners shuld have the researchers cme int their rganizatins t present the results t a wider audience. Studies n infrmatin disseminatin and knwledge transfer shw face-t-face cntact between researchers and decisin makers increases the likelihd that research results will be used. In-persn cntact als builds decisin makers trust in the research, particularly because the researchers can answer questins and link the results t the decisin makers specific cntexts. Reprt n hw the research is ging Decisin makers are mre likely t act n research results if they are expecting them; cnversely, results that seem t cme frm ut f nwhere may nt be used adequately r quickly. This is particularly true if the results are surprising r cntrversial. Decisin-maker partners shuld ensure that all their clleagues with a ptential interest in the research knw abut its bjectives frm the beginning. Onging updates n the research prgress will help keep interest alive and make ther decisin makers eager t use the final results. Help the research team identify the key results and messages Decisin-maker partners can play a key rle in helping the researchers sift thrugh the great quantity f infrmatin that mst research prduces. Decisin makers can help the research team identify the mst useful kinds f analyses and, later, identify the mst imprtant results t disseminate. Mrever, during the disseminatin stage, the decisin-maker partner can als help translate the key results int messages that are clear and relevant t decisin-making.
Release the results in a timely manner Effective use f research results is ften a questin f timing: can research findings be made available t the decisin-making audience when it is ready and able t use the infrmatin? Being aware f the needs and capabilities f this audience, and adapting disseminatin effrts t these needs and capabilities, makes it mre likely the results will be put t gd use. As well, by releasing the results in a timely manner, the research team can build n the mmentum and interest created by early reprts f preliminary results. What ther resurces are available t decisin-maker partners? Theme fficers The Canadian Health Services Research Fundatin has a theme fficer wrking in each f the areas f primary healthcare, nursing, health human resurces, and managing cntinuity f care. Their jb is t be aware f the research in their theme areas, f wh is ding research, and f wh is lking fr research in that area. Theme fficers wrk as knwledge brkers and can help disseminate research results t the apprpriate peple at ther decisin-making rganizatins. Newsletters Many prvincial departments and nngvernmental rganizatins prduce newsletters that are designed t help decisin makers. Decisinmaker partners can use these vehicles t disseminate the research results t a wide audience. Newsletters can be useful at all stages f the research: raising awareness f new research, disseminating preliminary results at strategic mments t build excitement, r serving as an executive summary f the final reprt. Intra/Internet Decisin makers shuld explre the pssibility f psting the results f their research n web sites that are trusted fr their quality. It may als be pssible t disseminate the results via listservs. Internal Intranets within decisin-making rganizatins can als help spread the results amng decisin-maker partners clleagues. Cnclusin Becming invlved in the cllabrative research prcess is ne f the mst imprtant things a decisin maker can d t extend the use f researchbased evidence in an rganizatin. Mre imprtant than financial backing are the intellectual and cultural effects f partnerships between researchers and the peple wh use research - health-services managers and plicy makers. Better understanding leads t a greater use f research evidence, ultimately leading t better quality in healthcare services. Fr mre infrmatin n the Canadian Health Services Research Fundatin and hw it encurages decisinmaker-researcher partnerships, please call (613) 728-2238 and ask t speak t Katherine Fafard, ur senir prgram fficer fr research use, r e-mail us at katherine.fafard@chsrf.ca. Fr mre infrmatin n hw the fundatin funds cllabrative research, please visit www.chsrf.ca/funding_pprtunities/gc/index_e.php. 7