Research impact of systems-level long-term care research: a multiple case study

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Knowledge Translation
• Organizational Studies

Background:

• Traditional research impact metrics (publications, grants) are insufficient.
• Research projects require broader evaluation of contributions and complexity.
• Systems-level research in long-term care (LTC) presents unique challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To understand contributions of five systems-level research projects at Bruyère Centre for Learning, Research and Innovation (CLRI).
• To explore end-user partnerships, committee influences, and broader impacts of research activities.
• To characterize research end-user partnerships in LTC.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a multiple case study design guided by research impact concepts.
• Collected data via focus groups and interviews with diverse stakeholders.
• Analyzed project documents for contextual understanding.

Main Results:

• Identified four key themes: partner benefits/tensions, steering committee interactions, management committee roles, and diverse research contributions.
• Highlighted the importance of interactions with networks and fostering dialogue on LTC issues.
• Demonstrated the value of researcher-user partnerships.

Conclusions:

• Research-to-action platforms, supported by committees, function as knowledge brokering models.
• Stimulating conversations and network interactions are significant research contributions.
• Collaborative researcher-user partnerships are crucial for effective research impact.