Case Study and Qualitative Analysis of Emergency Department Community Advisory Council on Intimate Partner Violence

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Community-Based Participatory Research

Background:

• Emergency departments (EDs) are crucial points of contact for intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors.
• Quality improvement initiatives can enhance ED care for IPV survivors through community partnerships.
• Community-based organizations (CBOs) play a vital role in supporting IPV survivors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a community advisory council (CAC) formed between an ED and CBOs serving IPV survivors.
• To identify factors promoting and hindering engagement in this community-healthcare partnership.
• To determine best practices for future collaborations between EDs and CBOs.

Main Methods:

• Conducted five semi-structured interviews with representatives from five CBOs on the CAC.
• Utilized validated toolkits for evaluating community-based participatory research.
• Performed thematic analysis using a barriers and facilitators framework.

Main Results:

• Relationship-building within the CAC facilitated collaboration between the ED and CBOs.
• Identified structural barriers and facilitators to relationship-building.
• Four key behaviors promoted relationship-building: joint problem-solving, curiosity, shared empathy, and understanding ED barriers for IPV survivors.
• Tangible project outcomes and perceived cultural shifts in the ED were noted.

Conclusions:

• ED-CBO partnerships, when built on trust and mutual respect, can improve the continuum of care for IPV survivors.
• Warm handoffs from EDs to CBOs are essential for survivor recovery.
• This case study offers insights into barriers and facilitators for successful community-healthcare collaborations.