Improving primary health care through partnerships: Key insights from a cross‐case analysis of multi‐stakeholder partnerships in two Canadian provinces
Abstract Background and Aims Multi‐stakeholder partnerships offer strategic advantages in addressing multi‐faceted issues in complex, fast‐paced, and rapidly‐evolving community health contexts. Synergistic partnerships mobilize partners' complementary financial and nonfinancial resources, resul...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Health Science Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.397 |
| _version_ | 1818774328594923520 |
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| author | Ekaterina Loban Catherine Scott Virginia Lewis Susan Law Jeannie Haggerty |
| author_facet | Ekaterina Loban Catherine Scott Virginia Lewis Susan Law Jeannie Haggerty |
| author_sort | Ekaterina Loban |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background and Aims Multi‐stakeholder partnerships offer strategic advantages in addressing multi‐faceted issues in complex, fast‐paced, and rapidly‐evolving community health contexts. Synergistic partnerships mobilize partners' complementary financial and nonfinancial resources, resulting in improved outcomes beyond that achievable through individual efforts. Our objectives were to explore the manifestations of synergy in partnerships involving stakeholders from different organizations with an interest in implementing organizational solutions that enhance access to primary health care (PHC) for vulnerable populations, and to describe structures and processes that facilitated the work of these partnerships. Methods This was a longitudinal case study in two Canadian provinces of two collaborative partnerships involving decision makers, academic representatives, clinicians, health system administrators, patient partners, and representatives of health and social service organizations providing services to vulnerable populations. Document review, nonparticipant observation of partnerships' meetings (n = 14) and semi‐structured in‐depth interviews (n = 16) were conducted between 2016 and 2018. Data analysis involved a cross‐case synthesis to compare the cases and framework analysis to identify prominent themes. Results Four major themes emerged from the data. Partnership synergy manifested itself in the following: (a) the integration of resources, (b) partnership atmosphere, (c) perceived stakeholder benefits, and (d) capacity for adaptation to context. Synergy developed before the intended PHC access outcomes could be assessed and acted both as a dynamic indicator of the health of the partnership and a source of energy fuelling partnership improvement and vitality. Synergistic action among multiple stakeholders was achieved through enabling processes at interpersonal, operational, and system levels. Conclusions The partnership synergy framework is useful in assessing the intermediate outcomes of ongoing partnerships when it is too early to evaluate the achievement of long‐term intended outcomes. Enabling processes require attention as part of routine partnership assessment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T10:39:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d41b24385a174e269991cc387d88abf3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2398-8835 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T10:39:24Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Science Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-d41b24385a174e269991cc387d88abf32022-12-21T21:10:40ZengWileyHealth Science Reports2398-88352021-12-0144n/an/a10.1002/hsr2.397Improving primary health care through partnerships: Key insights from a cross‐case analysis of multi‐stakeholder partnerships in two Canadian provincesEkaterina Loban0Catherine Scott1Virginia Lewis2Susan Law3Jeannie Haggerty4St. Mary's Research Centre Montreal Quebec CanadaDepartment of Community Health Sciences University of Calgary Calgary Alberta CanadaAustralian Institute for Primary Care & Ageing La Trobe University Melbourne Victoria AustraliaInstitute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation University of Toronto Toronto Ontario CanadaSt. Mary's Research Centre Montreal Quebec CanadaAbstract Background and Aims Multi‐stakeholder partnerships offer strategic advantages in addressing multi‐faceted issues in complex, fast‐paced, and rapidly‐evolving community health contexts. Synergistic partnerships mobilize partners' complementary financial and nonfinancial resources, resulting in improved outcomes beyond that achievable through individual efforts. Our objectives were to explore the manifestations of synergy in partnerships involving stakeholders from different organizations with an interest in implementing organizational solutions that enhance access to primary health care (PHC) for vulnerable populations, and to describe structures and processes that facilitated the work of these partnerships. Methods This was a longitudinal case study in two Canadian provinces of two collaborative partnerships involving decision makers, academic representatives, clinicians, health system administrators, patient partners, and representatives of health and social service organizations providing services to vulnerable populations. Document review, nonparticipant observation of partnerships' meetings (n = 14) and semi‐structured in‐depth interviews (n = 16) were conducted between 2016 and 2018. Data analysis involved a cross‐case synthesis to compare the cases and framework analysis to identify prominent themes. Results Four major themes emerged from the data. Partnership synergy manifested itself in the following: (a) the integration of resources, (b) partnership atmosphere, (c) perceived stakeholder benefits, and (d) capacity for adaptation to context. Synergy developed before the intended PHC access outcomes could be assessed and acted both as a dynamic indicator of the health of the partnership and a source of energy fuelling partnership improvement and vitality. Synergistic action among multiple stakeholders was achieved through enabling processes at interpersonal, operational, and system levels. Conclusions The partnership synergy framework is useful in assessing the intermediate outcomes of ongoing partnerships when it is too early to evaluate the achievement of long‐term intended outcomes. Enabling processes require attention as part of routine partnership assessment.https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.397health system improvementorganizational transformationpartnership synergypartnershipsprimary health care |
| spellingShingle | Ekaterina Loban Catherine Scott Virginia Lewis Susan Law Jeannie Haggerty Improving primary health care through partnerships: Key insights from a cross‐case analysis of multi‐stakeholder partnerships in two Canadian provinces Health Science Reports health system improvement organizational transformation partnership synergy partnerships primary health care |
| title | Improving primary health care through partnerships: Key insights from a cross‐case analysis of multi‐stakeholder partnerships in two Canadian provinces |
| title_full | Improving primary health care through partnerships: Key insights from a cross‐case analysis of multi‐stakeholder partnerships in two Canadian provinces |
| title_fullStr | Improving primary health care through partnerships: Key insights from a cross‐case analysis of multi‐stakeholder partnerships in two Canadian provinces |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improving primary health care through partnerships: Key insights from a cross‐case analysis of multi‐stakeholder partnerships in two Canadian provinces |
| title_short | Improving primary health care through partnerships: Key insights from a cross‐case analysis of multi‐stakeholder partnerships in two Canadian provinces |
| title_sort | improving primary health care through partnerships key insights from a cross case analysis of multi stakeholder partnerships in two canadian provinces |
| topic | health system improvement organizational transformation partnership synergy partnerships primary health care |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.397 |
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