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Standards of Engagement
Be Focused on PCOR & Patient Engagement
The organization must be committed to:
- Applicability (applying results) - meaningful consequences for patient quality of life and community health
- A focus on impact that we can measure
- Honoring commitments - “Doing what we say we will do”
- Ensuring clear expectations amongst stakeholders (including organizational leadership, personnel, and patients) and empowered, autonomous participation
What needs to be in place for the organization in general:
- Effective communication - internally and with patients/partners that is transparent and respectful
- Decision making process across organizational levels that is understood by all parties and represents a mutual effort
What needs to be in place when considering a particular research project:
- Adequate time and resources devoted to project (for both the organization and patients)
- Everyone (leadership and staff) understands the commitment to the funder and partners
- Discipline ourselves to ask the question “How does this strengthen patient empowerment, relationship with organizations, and treatment outcomes”
Be Grounded in Cultural Competence
The organization must be committed to:
- Adequate number and diverse Latino patient representation (not just token)
- Inclusion of Latino patients’ perspective and insights throughout the partnership (not just attendance)
What needs to be in place for the organization in general:
- Systematic stakeholder discussion - a system to bring together community, patients, providers and researchers at a given time to determine research questions, involvement, agenda, etc.
- Ongoing collaborative partnerships - in harmony with mission and goals of person or organization - not just a one-time project
- A common understanding of what PCOR is - through education & training - both for the organization and for patients, partner organizations & researchers
What needs to be in place when considering a particular research project:
- Meaningful representation of Latino patients and perspectives in the discussion
- Patient influence - understand how Latino patient participation influences research study design and results
Include a Plan for Sustainability of Efforts
The organization must be committed to:
- An ongoing relationship between all involved partners
- Developing infrastructure for facilitating ongoing research
What needs to be in place for the organization in general:
- Realistic consideration of costs - both direct and indirect
- Commitment to long term engagement with a trusted partner
- Protected time and space for research activities
What needs to be in place when considering a particular research project:
- Alignment with organization goals - clear understanding of how the project fits within larger organizational goals and works toward them in broader timeline
- Defined plan for transitioning from project to next phase of partnership toward ongoing goals
Show How Knowledge Is Improved
The organization must be committed to:
- Applicability (applying results) - meaningful consequences for patient quality of life and community health
- Accountability and transparency with research process
- Improved “translation” - sharing findings in a way that allows them to affect the world around us
What needs to be in place for the organization in general:
- A plan for giving ongoing research updates to everyone involved and applying feedback received
What needs to be in place when considering a particular research project:
- The development of the proposal and implementation of the project includes insights from patients and stakeholders
- There is a plan for dissemination and implementation
STEP 4: Internal Capacity Development for Implementation
This section describes the process for how to develop the capacity of the organization needed for successful project implementation. The organization’s capacity to participate in the project was evaluated during the “development of PCOR research ideas” phase and then further defined during the “seeking funding” phase. Subsequent to securing funding, it is time to begin ramping up the organization’s capacity in order to successfully complete the project.
Recommendations
1. Work to develop capacity not only to implement the project but also to support your overall mission and promote future research projects.
The enhanced capacity should be considered as a long-term goal and beyond the project at hand.
Reminder!
Researchers can sometimes help bring additional capacity to your CBHOSL through training and
2. Develop a clear, professional Project Management Plan. This will expand on the Project Workplan submitted with the funding application.
- Establish clear benchmarks and review / expand the Project Timeline.
- Specify a time and space to discuss problems that arise. Consider how to establish graceful ways for various roles to bow out of the project if it isn’t working.
- Establish processes to ensure continuing alignment and team-work. Remember to re-visit project values and vision with frequency throughout the project in order to maintain buy-in and engagement.
CAUTION
- All partner roles will have been spelled out in detail in the Memoranda of Understanding or sub-contracts submitted with the funding application. However, elaborate on these in Partner Workplans to ensure all timelines and roles are clear.
- Identify and assign a liaison who assists with troubleshooting issues when they arise and is point person for communications between stakeholders.
- Start at the planning phase to develop strategies for managing expectations and potential conflicts down the road.
3. Develop the staff needed to implement the project.
- Develop Job Descriptions for any positions to be hired; update Job Descriptions for any existing personnel taking over project responsibilities. (Reminder: make sure there is commensurate decrease in existing possibilities so that staff are not burnt out.)
- Develop and publicize any necessary Job Announcements.
4. Establish the infrastructure needed for all project activities, from recruitment to data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
- Ensure there is adequate consideration of the necessary roles and infrastructure for managing recruitment and engagement of participants. Consideration must be given to how to coordinate these processes across roles, platforms, etc., and how to manage this complex process effectively.
- Bring data collection processes and structures online. This might include data servers, databases, or other record-keeping and analysis systems.
- Add key dissemination opportunities such as community events and conferences with dates to the Project Timeline.
- Update the Project Workplan with all of these activities / roles / decisions.