Organizational characteristics of successful innovative health care programs sustained over time

Sustaining a successful program over times is critical in today's rapidly changing health care environment. This study sought to identify the characteristics of organizations that implemented innovative health programs for older adults and sustained those programs over time. The Gerontological Health Section of the American Public Health Association created an award in 1998, endowed by the Archstone Foundation, to recognize innovative programs providing health and related social support services to older adults. The 20 award winners were interviewed in Fall 2002, using a structured questionnaire based on the conceptual model for sustainability articulated by Shediac-Rizkallah and Bone. The findings provided insights into the importance of leadership, financing, organizational structure, governance, marketing, and evaluation/research.