Reflections from organization science on the development of primary health care research networks

Abstract

In the UK, policy changes in primary health care research and development have led to the establishment of primary care research networks. These organizations aim to increase research culture, capacity and evidence base in primary care. As publicly funded bodies, these networks need to be accountable. Organizational science has studied network organizations including why and how they develop and how they function most effectively. This paper draws on organizational science to reflect on why primary care research networks appear to be appropriate for primary care research and how their structures and processes can best enable the achievement of their aims.

Evaluating Primary Care Research Networks: A Review of Currently Available Tools

“…Therefore, PCRNs represent a great diversity of network models, objectives, and configurations. 12,13 In general, PCRNs aim to conduct research close to practice, identify and respond to current primary care research needs, and to engage more primary care professionals with research. In addition to these researchbased objectives, it has been suggested that PCRNs can also play an important role in the translation and diffusion of research findings into practice 14 -16 and other activities that are relevant in the field of Internationally, both policy advisers and researchers have acknowledged the importance of PCRNs and have recognized the challenging opportunities they provide for the improvement of primary care.…”

Role of Primary Health Care in Ensuring Access to Medicines

“…These related but powerful interlinked themes are stipulated in paragraph 1, article 7 of Alma-Ata (2). According to Fenton et al, health service research pioneered within PHC is a central strategy for new planning to achieve attainable health (41). PHC, as suggested earlier, is primarily a hub of the health sector, providing contact between patients and networks in the research and development process.…”

Networks: a key to the future of health services

“…30 The socialisation involved in networks is essential for transferring the tacit knowledge that frequently distinguishes high performance teams. 31 "Trust, in itself, becomes an asset that group members can rely on more generally to help solve problems of cooperation and coordination." (page 543) 31 Expertise networks between services enable comparison of experiences and practices by those who know their intimate detail, and facilitate the sharing of opinions about how to deal with new developments.…”

“…31 "Trust, in itself, becomes an asset that group members can rely on more generally to help solve problems of cooperation and coordination." (page 543) 31 Expertise networks between services enable comparison of experiences and practices by those who know their intimate detail, and facilitate the sharing of opinions about how to deal with new developments. Networks are central to quality management, and in particular, "Benchmarking encourages each unit to take control of its own destiny, and yet to learn collaboratively from competitor and ally alike."…”

“…For example strong norms and mutual identification, while positive for groups, can, at the same time, produce collective blindness through an over-convergence of viewpoints leading to poor outcomes. (page 542) 31 Cost is also a problem, as networks require resources and effort from the people concerned. Networks are time consuming to create and maintain, and may collapse if not seen as productive by participants, or if key players pull out.…”