- Respond to increased payer demand for practice-based demonstration of improved patient outcomes
- Evaluate clinical innovations in integrated care
- Demonstrate the impact of integrated care to increase uptake and influence policy
The evolution of the integrated health care field requires systematic research and evaluation efforts to demonstrate the effectiveness of those approaches in practice settings. Providers and administrators in integrated healthcare need state of the art tools, guidance, and support to engage in continuous quality improvement processes (Peek, Cohen, & deGruy, 2014). There is an increasing need to discover and disseminate information about use of rigorous approaches to research and evaluation that highlights cutting-edge practices and providing training and technical assistance to support further innovations.
There are a range of existing resources, tools, and websites that address integrated healthcare (e.g., AHRQ Academy, SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions, NCQA). The Joint Commission’s recent announcement about the revisions to the behavioral health care standards, scheduled to begin January 2018 (Joint Commission, 2017), illustrate the increasing need to further develop valid reliable approaches to the development, implementation, and evaluation of integrated health care practices. Many sources provide support for those performing clinical research with patients, while others provide conceptual frameworks salient to integrated health care practices. Applied, translational approaches to research and evaluation is increasingly needed to support and develop the capacity of integrated health care providers and administrators to conduct practical, informative ways to strengthen and inform the further develop the field of integrated health care.
- Joint Commission. (2017). Phase 2 revisions for BHC accreditation manual effective January 2018. Retrieved from https://www.jointcommission.org/issues/article.aspx?
- Peek, C. J., Cohen, D. J., & deGruy, F. V. III. (2014). Research and evaluation in the transformation of primary care. American Psychologist, 69(4), 430-442.
Upcoming Evaluation Snapshots reflect upon the practical approaches that integrated healthcare providers and administrators have used to implement and evaluate their programs and services. Using the RE-AIM framework (http://re-aim.org; Glasgow, Vogt, & Boles, 1999), these practices have reflected upon their practice transformation efforts and addressed programs and services through at least one dimension of RE-AIM:
- How have you improved the Reach to the target population?
- How have you evaluated the Effectiveness or efficacy of your program or service?
- How did you support Adoption by target staff, settings, or institutions?
- How have you evaluated the Implementation of the program/service to address consistency, costs, and adaptations made during delivery?
- How do you support the Maintenance of intervention effects in individuals and settings over time?
Through the Research and Evaluation Committee, CFHA is increasing interest, enthusiasm, and capacity among its members for research and program evaluation related to collaborative, integrated health care. This committee provides education and information that helps members to: understand and/or use data; evaluate research and outcome data; and understand approaches for evaluating and improving programs. Research in this context refers broadly to a variety of forms of systematic inquiry including formal scientific research, social research, and economic research, as well as program evaluation, quality improvement, and performance improvement.