title: Community care networks: linking vision to outcomes for community health improvement.
abstract: This article examines the relationship between progress toward the Community Care Network (CCN) vision and "intermediate outcomes" of 25 community-based health partnerships (CCNs). Specific components of the CCN vision were community accountability, community health focus, creation of a seamless service continuum, and managing under limited resources. Four community outcome dimensions were evaluated: access, cost, health, and quality of service delivery integration. Overall progress toward the CCN vision was significantly positively related to average intermediate outcome score and most highly correlated with two dimensions: access and quality of service integration. Qualitative analysis suggests that CCN sites accomplished the most along two dimensions--access and health--noting that intermediate health outcomes generally were in health assessment and information rather than actual health status improvement. Keys to outcome achievement appear to be (1) clearly focused intervention; (2) explicit, ongoing outcome measurement; and (3) strong integration of separate intervention components.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Douglas A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Conrad
authors.forename: Sarah H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cave
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harville
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Shortell
authors.forename: Gloria J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Bazzoli
authors.forename: Romana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hasnain-Wynia
authors.forename: Shoshanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sofaer
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Margolin
mesh_terms: D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D006304:Health Status; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000592:standards; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States