A Dissemination Strategy to Promote Relational Coordination in the Veterans Health Administration: A Case Study

Background Implementing new healthcare practices across large organizations can be difficult due to inefficient diffusion of information. Using social marketing theory and additional evidence-based dissemination strategies, we spread relational coordination, an empirically supported theory of organizational performance, throughout the large Veterans Health Administration (VA). Relational Coordination drives performance outcomes including quality, efficiency, client satisfaction, and worker well-being and engagement and proposes interdependent work is most effectively coordinated by workers with each other, their customers, and their leaders. We aimed to develop a best-practice dissemination plan to educate and motivate researchers and operational staff in the VA to study and implement relational coordination within their programs of research or areas of operation.Methods In this observational case study, we followed the four Ps of social marketing theory to develop a strategy to disseminate relational coordination across the VA in two phases. In phase one, we created and distributed relational coordination information and invited VA staff to join the Relational Coordination Research Collaborative. In phase two dissemination efforts targeted researchers who were ready to study and implement relational coordination within existing programs of research. Primarily observational data were collected through both stages of the project and a final, post-project survey was administered after the second phase. The quantitative results were calculated using descriptive statistics and text responses in the survey were analyzed using deductive content analysis. A structured categorization matrix was developed to code the responses based on the survey questions. Results The first phase saw instances of social media dissemination, presentations, as well as phone or email communication between project staff and the target audience. 47 members of VA staff joined the Relational Coordination Research Collaborative and 50% participated in online research seminars. 13 research projects applied for the second stage and 5 projects were ultimately chosen to access the Relational Coordination survey. Relational coordination-related trainings, presentations, and publications also occurred.Conclusions Dissemination approaches that involved personalized, one-on-one efforts seemed to be more effective at spreading relational coordination compared to social media or other online presentations. Participants in the second phase overwhelmingly agreed to that relational coordination should be adopted in the VA but indicated the cost of the program would have been a barrier. Results reiterate the importance of an intentional dissemination plan, including addressing the costs and benefits of programs

A Dissemination Strategy to Promote Relational Coordination in the Veterans Health Administration: A Case Study

BackgroundImplementing new healthcare practices across large organizations can be difficult due to inefficient diffusion of information. Using social marketing theory and additional evidence-based dissemination strategies, we spread relational coordination, an empirically supported theory of organizational performance, throughout the large Veterans Health Administration (VA). Relational Coordination drives performance outcomes including quality, efficiency, client satisfaction, and worker well-being and engagement and proposes interdependent work is most effectively coordinated by workers with each other, their customers, and their leaders. We aimed to develop a best-practice dissemination plan to educate and motivate researchers and operational staff in the VA to study and implement relational coordination within their programs of research or areas of operation.MethodsIn this observational case study, we followed the four Ps of social marketing theory to develop a strategy to disseminate relational coordination across the VA in two phases. In phase one, we created and distributed relational coordination information and invited VA staff to join the Relational Coordination Research Collaborative. In phase two dissemination efforts targeted researchers who were ready to study and implement relational coordination within existing programs of research. Primarily observational data were collected through both stages of the project and a final, post-project survey was administered after the second phase. The quantitative results were calculated using descriptive statistics and text responses in the survey were analyzed using deductive content analysis. A structured categorization matrix was developed to code the responses based on the survey questions. ResultsThe first phase saw instances of social media dissemination, presentations, as well as phone or email communication between project staff and the target audience. 47 members of VA staff joined the Relational Coordination Research Collaborative and 50% participated in online research seminars. 13 research projects applied for the second stage and 5 projects were ultimately chosen to access the Relational Coordination survey. Relational coordination-related trainings, presentations, and publications also occurred.ConclusionsDissemination approaches that involved personalized, one-on-one efforts seemed to be more effective at spreading relational coordination compared to social media or other online presentations. Participants in the second phase overwhelmingly agreed to that relational coordination should be adopted in the VA but indicated the cost of the program would have been a barrier. Results reiterate the importance of an intentional dissemination plan, including addressing the costs and benefits of programs

Understanding HPV vaccine initiation in Hispanic adolescents using social marketing theory

Objective: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates among Hispanic adolescents in the USA are far below recommended levels. Using a social marketing theory framework, we assessed the four Ps (product, price, place and promotion) as they relate to efforts to promote HPV vaccine initiation. Design: Qualitative study involving in-depth interviews. Setting: A large Southern city in the USA. Method: Eighty-five in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with Spanish-speaking Hispanic mothers divided into initiated and uninitiated market segments based on whether or not their adolescent child had received the first dose of the HPV vaccine. Data were analysed using directed qualitative content analysis. Results: Results suggest that the desire to prevent illnesses and protect their child drives the decision to vaccinate (product). Most initiated mothers did not experience barriers to vaccination, and market segments described different potential barriers (price). Both marker segments reported that they needed vaccine information before vaccinating (price). Finally, interventions should target clinics, schools and community centres to raise awareness about the importance of vaccinating against HPV (place and promotion). Conclusion: Findings from this formative study can inform the development of an intervention to increase HPV vaccine initiation among Hispanic adolescents.

Using Successful Cases to Promote Environmental Sustainability

The success of encouraging environmental sustainability by means of social marketing programs is partially determined by identifying certain actions that can favourably influence people's behaviours towards a more ecologically benign lifestyle. In this chapter, such actions (remodelling businesses and the economy by means of non-market capitals, social enterprises, and economic democracy; transforming food systems; renewable energy and energy reductions and simplifying lifestyles) are gleaned from a description of Cuba's transition period, the Findhorn Ecovillage and the BedZED development where greater levels of environmental sustainability have been attained. Associating the actions to social marketing theory reveals that they are well positioned to influence behaviours towards improved levels of environmental sustainability.

Key principle, concepts, and techniques of social marketing

This chapter sets out a hierarchical and differentiated model of social marketing principles, concepts, and techniques, based on thoughts put forward by French and Russell-Bennett (2015). In this chapter descriptive criteria of social marketing are reviewed and placed in a hierarchy of importance in order to assist practitioners, commissioners, and academics with describing and identifying social marketing practice and distinguishing it from other forms of social programme design and implementation. The description of the key principles, concepts, and techniques of social marketing set out in this chapter represents a way to conceptualize and recognize the different elements that constitute social marketing theory and practice.

Using Successful Cases to Promote Environmental Sustainability

The success of encouraging environmental sustainability by means of social marketing programs is partially determined by identifying certain actions that can favourably influence people's behaviours towards a more ecologically benign lifestyle. In this chapter, such actions (remodelling businesses and the economy by means of non-market capitals, social enterprises, and economic democracy; transforming food systems; renewable energy and energy reductions and simplifying lifestyles) are gleaned from a description of Cuba's transition period, the Findhorn Ecovillage and the BedZED development where greater levels of environmental sustainability have been attained. Associating the actions to social marketing theory reveals that they are well positioned to influence behaviours towards improved levels of environmental sustainability.