Community care networks: linking vision to outcomes for community health improvement.
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.
Conrad
Douglas A
DA
University of Washington, USA.
Cave
Sarah H
SH
Lucas
Martha
M
Harville
Jennifer
J
Shortell
Stephen M
SM
Bazzoli
Gloria J
GJ
Hasnain-Wynia
Romana
R
Sofaer
Shoshanna
S
Alexander
Jeffrey A
JA
Casey
Elizabeth
E
Margolin
Frances
F
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