title: Soft networks for bridging the gap between research and practice: illuminative evaluation of CHAIN.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the process of knowledge exchange in an informal email network for evidence based health care, to illuminate the value of the service and its critical success factors, and to identify areas for improvement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Illuminative evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Targeted email and networking service for UK healthcare practitioners and researchers.
  
  
  METHODS
  2800 members of a networking service.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tracking of email messages, interviews with core staff, and a qualitative analysis of messages, postings from focus groups, and invited and unsolicited feedback to the service.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The informal email network helped to bridge the gap between research and practice by serving as a rich source of information, providing access to members' experiences, suggestions, and ideas, facilitating cross boundary collaboration, and enabling participation in networking at a variety of levels. Ad hoc groupings and communities of practice emerged spontaneously as members discovered common areas of interest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study illuminated how knowledge for evidence based health care can be targeted, personalised, and made meaningful through informal social processes. Critical success factors include a broad based membership from both the research and service communities; a loose and fluid network structure; tight targeting of messages based on members' interests; the presence of a strong network identity and culture of reciprocity; and the opportunity for new members to learn through passive participation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Health Care, University College London, London N19 5LW. j.russell@pcps.ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: Trisha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Greenhalgh
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boynton
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rigby
mesh_terms: D001292:Attitude to Computers; D034742:Electronic Mail / Q000592:standards*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards