title: Beacon communities' public health initiatives: a case study analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Beacon Communities for Public Health (BCPH) project was launched in 2011 to gain a better understanding of the range of activities currently being conducted in population- and public health by the Beacon Communities. The project highlighted the successes and challenges of these efforts with the aim of sharing this information broadly among the public health community.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The Beacon Community Program, designed to showcase technology-enabled, community-based initiatives to improve outcomes, focused on: building and strengthening health information technology (IT) infrastructure and exchange capabilities; translating investments in health IT to measureable improvements in cost, quality, and population health; and, developing innovative approaches to performance measurement, technology, and care delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four multimethod case studies were conducted based on a modified sociotechnical framework to learn more about public health initiative implementation and use in the Beacon Communities. Our methodological approach included using document review and semistructured key informant interviews. NACCHO Model Practice Program criteria were used to select the public health initiatives included in the case studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite differences among the case studies, common barriers and facilitators were found to be present in all areas of the sociotechnical framework application including structure, people, technology, tasks, overarching considerations, and sustainability. Overall, there were many more facilitators (range = 7-14) present for each Beacon compared to barriers (range = 4-6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Four influential promising practices were identified through the work: forging strong and sustainable partnerships; ensuring a good task-technology fit and a flexible and iterative design; fostering technology acceptance; and, providing education and demonstrating value.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A common weakness was the lack of a framework or model for the Beacon Communities evaluation work. Sharing a framework or approach to evaluation at the beginning of implementation made the work more effective. Supporting evaluation to inform future implementations is important.
authors.affiliation: RTI International.
authors.forename: Barbara L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Massoudi
authors.affiliation: RTI International.
authors.forename: Laura H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Marcial
authors.affiliation: RTI International.
authors.forename: Saira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haque
authors.affiliation: RTI International.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.affiliation: RTI International.
authors.forename: Kelley
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chester
authors.affiliation: RTI International.
authors.forename: Shellery
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.affiliation: RTI International.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.affiliation: RTI International.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soper
keywords: health information technology; informatics; projects
references.citation: Health Serv Res. 2017 Feb;52(1):291-312
references.pmid: 27910099
references.citation: J Biomed Inform. 2007 Dec;40(6 Suppl):S17-20
references.pmid: 17945542
references.citation: J Public Health Manag Pract. 2007 Jan-Feb;13(1):31-4
references.pmid: 17149097
references.citation: J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2012 Sep-Oct;19(5):688-95
references.pmid: 22395299
references.citation: Public Health Rep. 2010 Nov-Dec;125(6):843-50
references.pmid: 21121229
references.citation: Stud Health Technol Inform. 2012;172:45-53
references.pmid: 22910501
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 2008 Feb;98(2):344-50
references.pmid: 18172157
references.citation: J Biomed Inform. 2007 Apr;40(2):81-92
references.pmid: 16899412
references.citation: J Biomed Inform. 2010 Feb;43(1):159-72
references.pmid: 19615467
references.citation: J Biomed Inform. 2007 Dec;40(6 Suppl):S46-9
references.pmid: 17919985