title: What are the reasons for clinical network success? A qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical networks have been established to improve patient outcomes and processes of care by implementing a range of innovations and undertaking projects based on the needs of local health services. Given the significant investment in clinical networks internationally, it is important to assess their effectiveness and sustainability. This qualitative study investigated the views of stakeholders on the factors they thought were influential in terms of overall network success.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten participants were interviewed using face-to-face, audio-recorded semi-structured interviews about critical factors for networks' successes over the study period 2006-2008. Respondents were purposively selected from two stakeholder groups: i) chairs of networks during the study period of 2006-2008 from high- moderate- and low-impact networks (as previously determined by an independent review panel) and ii) experts in the clinical field of the network who had a connection to the network but who were not network members. Participants were blind to the performance of the network they were interviewed about. Transcribed data were coded and analysed to generate themes relating to the study aims.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Themes relating to influential factors critical to network success were: network model principles; leadership; formal organisational structures and processes; nature of network projects; external relationships; profile and credibility of the network.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides clinical networks with guidance on essential factors for maximising optimal network outcomes and that may assist networks to move from being a 'low-impact' to 'high-impact' network. Important ingredients for successful clinical networks were visionary and strategic leadership with strong links to external stakeholders; and having formal infrastructure and processes to enable the development and management of work plans aligned with health priorities.
authors.affiliation: Nursing Research Institute - St Vincents Health Australia (Sydney) and Australian Catholic University, DeLacy Building, 379 Victoria Road, Darlinghurst, NSW, 2010, Australia. Liz.McInnes@acu.edu.au.|School of Nursing, Midwifery & Paramedicine (NSW & ACT), Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, 2060, NSW, Australia. Liz.McInnes@acu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McInnes
authors.affiliation: Sax Institute, Level 13, Building 10, 235 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia. mary.haines@saxinstitute.org.au.|School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, NSW, Australia. mary.haines@saxinstitute.org.au.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haines
authors.affiliation: Sax Institute, Level 13, Building 10, 235 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia. amanda.dominello@saxinstitute.org.au.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dominello
authors.affiliation: Sax Institute, Level 13, Building 10, 235 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia. Deanna.Kalucy@saxinstitute.org.au.
authors.forename: Deanna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kalucy
authors.affiliation: Nursing Research Institute - St Vincents Health Australia (Sydney) and Australian Catholic University, DeLacy Building, 379 Victoria Road, Darlinghurst, NSW, 2010, Australia. Asmara.Jammali-Blasi@acu.edu.au.|School of Nursing, Midwifery & Paramedicine (NSW & ACT), Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, 2060, NSW, Australia. Asmara.Jammali-Blasi@acu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Asmara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jammali-Blasi
authors.affiliation: Nursing Research Institute - St Vincents Health Australia (Sydney) and Australian Catholic University, DeLacy Building, 379 Victoria Road, Darlinghurst, NSW, 2010, Australia. Sandy.Middleton@acu.edu.au.|School of Nursing, Midwifery & Paramedicine (NSW & ACT), Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, 2060, NSW, Australia. Sandy.Middleton@acu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Sandy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Middleton
authors.affiliation: NSW Kids and Families, 73 Miller Street, North Sydney, NSW, 2060, Australia. emily.klineberg@health.nsw.gov.au.|Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, NSW, Australia. emily.klineberg@health.nsw.gov.au.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Klineberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019058:Community Networks; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007857:Leadership; D009517:New South Wales; D036301:Qualitative Research; D014838:Volunteers