Sustaining effective research/operational collaborations: Lessons learned from a National Partnered Evaluation...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Health Services Research
• Translational Science

Background:

• Disconnects between healthcare researchers and operational leadership delay the implementation of clinical breakthroughs.
• Effective research-operational partnerships are crucial for translating discoveries into practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key relationship characteristics of successful collaborative research projects within the Veterans Health Administration Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) Partnered Evaluation Initiative (PEI).
• To understand factors that address the gap between research and healthcare operations.

Main Methods:

• Conducted phone interviews with 14 investigators and 14 operational leadership partners across 16 PEIs.
• Utilized a semi-structured interview guide focused on essential partnership elements.
• Employed thematic analysis to code interview notes and identify key themes.

Main Results:

• Identified eight essential themes for effective partnerships: leadership support, shared understanding, investment, trust, agreement on products, mutual benefit, adaptability, and collaboration.
• Leadership support, shared understanding, investment, trust, and product agreement were frequently cited as critical by both groups.
• Facilitators included formal leadership backing, clear communication, defined plans, flexibility, and active participation.

Conclusions:

• Key characteristics for successful research-operational partnerships include strong leadership support, mutual understanding, investment, trust, and agreement on project outcomes.
• Further research is needed to evaluate the impact of partnered approaches in other large healthcare systems.