International Centre for Governance and Development

University of Saskatchewan, Canada

Building Distributed Communities ofPractice for Enhanced Research-Policy

Interface

28-31 May, 2004

Enhancing the Value-Added fromVirtual Networks

“Meeting the Needs of Future Researchers and Practitioners

From a Population Health Perspective”

Terry Gibson University of Saskatchewan, Canada

“Medicine is a social science, and politics is

nothing more than medicine in larger

scale"

(Rudolf Virchow quoted in Waitzkin 1983: 74).

Why is that Important?

For the most part Virchow was correct when he stated this because almost every social institution and policy realm has health implications However, if they (the policy realms) are defined too broadly they become unwieldy and lose practical meaning, and yet, it remains important to gather input from a broad range of researchers and practitioners so as to not miss important considerations when developing policy

The same can be said when informing most policy or legislation, regardless of program

It is vital to have a broadly informed decision making process lest it lose all relevance to the people for whom it is being written. Grassroots stakeholders are important to the process

Enhanced Communities of Practice have an important role to play in informing the policy setting arena

To determine the key elements ofdissemination strategies, three broad

questions need to be posed:

WHO do you engage? (target audience)

WHEN during the research process do you engage your audiences? (timing)

HOW do you engage them? (method)

Who should be at the table? policy think tanks

government departments international organizations

regional health boards professional organizations

the public media

community organizations business groups

alumni universities

clinicians, employees and other professionals

(CPHI An Environmental Scan of Research Transfer Strategies)

Who to engage:Wide variety of partners

Policy organizations should develop collaborative links

A wide range of government departments should be targeted

Links with international communities

Professional organizations both within and outside the health sector

Who to engage:

The broader public

Linkages with the media

Community organizations

The business community

Understanding the NetworkWho is at the Table?

It is vital to know who is at the other end of the computer It is equally as important to have some broad understanding of the knowledge they wish to share or need to gleanIt might be most important, (as far as this is possible), to be aware of their program and what one can offer that would most benefit /fit their program without unnecessary bulk(streamline yet not diminish)

WHENBefore the research begins:

environmental scanning outreach program policy review panels

During the research process: working groups

After the research is completed: study release strategies parliamentary process follow-up evaluation

When to engage:Engage early on and be continuous

Survey the political, social and economic environments

Decision-makers should be involved early

Evaluate the impact of the research

Brief government officials

HOWNo single dissemination method will be effective in all situationsUse a variety of means to engage decision-makersThe examples below illustrate that the target audiences and the messages that need to be conveyed, generally shape the methods used to interact with decision-makers

HOWElectronic Products

web sites computer models

Tailored Products/Messages accessible research products integrated messages student essay contests

Specialized Personnel charismatic spokesperson research transfer officers

Research, Collaboration and Capacity Building training and review joint projects sub-specialized research centres research on transfer strategies transfer strategy requirements capacity building

(CPHI An Environmental Scan of Research Transfer Strategies)

How to engage:Use working groups. Produce a variety of outputsDevelop a concise, readable formatBuild a research transfer strategies into each projectEstablish formal links/partnershipsEmploy research transfer specialistsCreate easy-to-use computer modelsSponsor research(CPHI An Environmental Scan of Research Transfer Strategies)

“Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Population Health Research and Practice”

The instructional framework was based on six substantive research areas: globalization and health, community/environment health determinants, changing family and social roles, work-related determinants of health, determinants of early childhood development, and Indigenous people’s health

It was my good fortune to have been a Strategic Training Fellow for the

The emphasis of the class included: the formulation of a comprehensive conceptual and theoretical framework for guiding research, using multiple research methods and analytical tools, developing and implementing integrated and linkable databases for research, and transferring research knowledge to health policy/decision makinginvolvement from a broad set of disciplines: i.e. psychologists, kinesiologists, epidemiologits, geographers, etc.

Similar Interdisciplinary Schools of thought share a similar theme:

Knowledge must be shared in order to realize significant changes /growth in the area of informed policy development

“Such institutionalization is a necessary condition for

leadership and for elevating the role of

population health in health policy considerations.”

(Mechanic)

I will be attending the CIHR et al Summer Institute

“Negotiating the Shoals of Applied Research in Population and Public Health and Health Services and Policy Research”

The Goals and Objectives of the Institute are:

We have, as our overarching objective, the provision of an intensive learning experience focusing on the challenges and synergies of academic-field research partnerships

A key goal is to learn to work within the environmental constraints often found in field research and

To learn new strategies for adapting to such constraints while striving to maintain the highest degree of research rigor.

(An opportunity exists here for the broad dissemination of research results and to network with many disciplines with shared interests through the use of a distributed community of practice.) (CIHR Summer Institute 2004)

Summer Institute Cont’d“Keeping it off the Shelf: Strategies and Best Practices”“Getting to It: Implementation of the Research Plan”. “Telling the Story” offers a way of identifying “opportunity windows”. This could be very helpful in getting research into the hands that can have an impact on providing the authority to implement the findings as policy. Another opportunity to utilize DCoPs exists here

Canadian Evaluation Society (CES)The recent National Conference of the CES was entitled, “Evaluation A Cooperative Experience”Collaborative methods including knowledge transfer techniques were shared Emphasis was placed on gaining knowledge from across programs and sectors for use in evaluation and in using evaluation to inform policyVarious methods of knowledge sharing was encouragedDistributed Communities of Practice (i.e. WebCT, I-tracks, Community Zero, etc) were suggested as ways of helping to inform an evaluation

Summary

In order for Enhanced Distributed Communities of Practice to become a sustainable and worthwhile vehicle

for knowledge transfer, it is vital that the academe recognize the work of

those in the field, cherish(value) that work and create networks to build on the synergy between and among the

various players.

SummaryThere is a lot of discussion about research-based

evidence and evidence-based decision making.These concepts are of course important in the

policy arena. There is another cog that needs to be explored that fits hand in hand with this thinking; the notion of practice-based evidence.

Practitioners need researchers to accept their work as evidence. It is this type of participatory evidence that can provide the impetus for new types of research or galvanize the findings of recent discoveries.

ConclusionWhat is important to the graduate student/researcher/practitioner?

For any of the previously mentioned networks or communities to be of value it is important:To have the ability to identify and engage the proper mix of people to attend the various for a at the right time and through a variety of methods.That the people involved at each table/network recognize and value the input from each other.That researchers recognize the contribution from the frontline worker and grassroots stakeholder.Distributed communities of practice embrace a broad perspective and utilize appreciative inquiry and similar knowledge acquiring strategies.That members of the DCoP recognize and develop ways to identify and overcome competing priorities. That networks are maintained and will remain in place throughout the duration of the research/knowledge transfer. There needs to be a champion or a leader of the community of practice to ensure its viability through the engagement of stakeholders. This can be someone with an interest to rise up from within the group or it can come from outside. (up for debate)

Finally, from the CPHI Knowledge Transfer Document comes this:

Just as important as creating new knowledge, however, is synthesizing the information and transferring it in a digestible form to those who shape policy and make decisions affecting health or any other program One of CPHI’s aims is to support and create forums and vehicles for researchers and decision-makers to exchange information and build enduring linkagesAll institutions, universities, health authorities, governments, and policy setting arenas would benefit from a similar posture

ReferencesDavid Mechanic Who Shall Lead: Is There a Future for Population Health?Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research, Rutgers University Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law 28.2-3 (2003) 421-442http://webct.usask.ca:8900/SCRIPT/2003W_ch_ep_898_022003W/scripts/serve_homeCanadian Population Health Initiative: An Environmental Scan of Research Transfer Strategies, CPHI- ISPC.CIHR Summer Institute 2004(CPHI An Environmental Scan of Research Transfer Strategies)CADRE

Thank you

Questions