AcademyHealth: Toolkit

Health Services Research: Building a Common Framework
A Toolkit for Voluntary Health Agencies

Planning

Content and Format
Logistics
Speakers
Template Presentations
Planning at a Glance

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Content and Format

There are a number of ways to present HSR to your audience. The most popular are “lunch and learns,” roundtable discussions, and formal presentations to managers. The format you chose will be largely determined by the culture of your organization, timing, and desired outcome.

Format	Participant Time Commitment	Typical Audience	Goal
Formal presentation	1-2 hours	Supervisors, management, and program, advocacy and communications staff	Generate top-level support for conducting, applying, and publicizing HSR
Lunch and learn	1-2 hours	Colleagues, staff in related departments, and volunteers	Awareness, understanding
Roundtable discussion	4-8 hours	Peers and program, advocacy, and communications staff	Generate interest and commitment to pursue HSR or apply HSR in outreach efforts

To help determine what format is most appropriate for your presentation, consider:

What is your outcome goal (awareness, understanding, action)?
What is your audience's current understanding of HSR?
What value, if any, do they currently ascribe to HSR?
What values of HSR do you hope to communicate to your audience?
How does HSR help achieve your audience's goals?

Logistics

It is important to consider the logistics and technology that will be necessary for your session. Below are suggested supplies and considerations for the three most common meeting formats.

Lunch and learn

Room availability and/or rental	Lunch and learns are typically conducted in your office's conference room or other meeting area.
Room set-up	Depending on the size of your audience and flexibility of your meeting rooms, the room can be set around a conference table, in a classroom setting (rows of tables and chairs), or you can have the tables set in a U shape.
Food and beverage	Depending on the culture of your organization, lunch and learns can be “brown bag” or catered events.
Audiovisual needs	The templates and presentations in this toolkit are best delivered via a laptop, LCD projector, and screen. Be sure to arrange for audio hook-ups if you plan to use the enclosed digital video clip.
Handouts	This kit includes case studies (see HSR Impacts ) and other background materials. You can reproduce copies for the attendees or email .pdf files in advance.
Other	If you're inviting external participants, be sure to prepare nametags in advance.

Roundtable discussion

Room availability and/or rental	A roundtable may include internal and external audiences. Depending upon the size of your group, you may want to reserve a meeting room at a local conference center or hotel.
Room set-up	A round table is most effective when set around a large conference table or “hollow square” (i.e., tables arranged in a rectangle with an open center).
Food and beverage	A roundtable is a longer program that will likely call for breaks or a midday meal. Consider catering.
Audiovisual needs	The templates and presentations in this toolkit are best delivered via a laptop, LCD projector, and screen. Be sure to arrange for audio hook-ups if you plan to use the enclosed digital video clip.
Handouts	This kit includes case studies (see HSR Impacts ) and other background materials. You can reproduce copies for the attendees or email .pdf files in advance.
Other	If you're inviting external participants, be sure to prepare nametags and tent cards in advance. You may also want to have notepads and pens available.

Formal Presentation

Room availability and/or rental	Room rental is not typically necessary
Room set-up	A formal presentation is most effective when set around a large conference table or “open U” (i.e., tables arranged in a three sided U shape).
Food and beverage	Formal presentations are more concise than other formats. Depending upon the culture of your organization, you may want to arrange coffee and light pastries or cookies.
Audiovisual needs	The templates and presentations in this toolkit are best delivered via a laptop, LCD projector, and screen. Be sure to arrange for audio hook-ups if you plan to use the enclosed digital video clip.
Handouts	This kit includes case studies (see HSR Impacts ) and other background materials. You can reproduce copies for the attendees or email .pdf files in advance.
Other	If you're inviting external participants, be sure to prepare nametags and tent cards in advance.

Speakers

To crystallize participants' knowledge of the potential value of health services research to their constituents, you may want to invite a panel of speakers to share their experience and perspective. Speakers could include:

an executive of your VHA who can speak to peers about how HSR has been addressed in your organization,
noted researchers who can demonstrate the value of HSR by discussing existing research that relates to a specific VHA's interest, or
policymakers and practitioners who rely on health services research to do their jobs.

Try to limit the speaker list to between three and five people, depending upon the program format you've chosen. Ask that speakers give concrete examples of how they apply research findings to improve health care decision-making, underscoring health services research as an integral part of any process aimed at improving health and health care.

The roundtable hosted by AcademyHealth and the National Health Council in December 2005 called upon the expertise of:

Carolyn Clancy, director, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Elizabeth McGlynn, Ph.D., associate director, RAND Health a
Jonathan Lomas, CEO, Canadian Health Services Research Foundation

Template Presentations

In lieu of, or in addition to, speakers, you may use the PowerPoint presentations and digital video clip in this toolkit to demonstrate your points. If you do not have expert speakers, be sure to thoroughly review the definitions of HSR as a context for the presentations that follow (See template presentation, “Explaining Health Services Research.”) You may reformat the presentations as needed, but be sure to credit the original authors for content used in your final presentation and handouts.

Planning at a Glance

Prior to the meeting

Send invitations (See template email)
Collect RSVPs
Secure meeting rooms and catering (as needed)
Send background materials to registered participants that include:
Pre-work: Questions to consider
What role do you think that health services research plays vis a vis the goals of your organization?
How could the health services research community more effectively communicate with VHAs and their constituents?
Can you think of an example of health services research that has made a positive impact on policy or practice as it relates to your work?
Case studies: Real world examples of HSR impact
Prepare agenda, handouts, speaker bios and other materials.
Ensure that audiovisual equipment is reserved, loaded with presentations and operating correctly.

Meeting flow

Moderator conducts introductions, reviews the purposes and agenda for the roundtable and invites participants to identify from their own experience where health services research has been, or might be, helpful in meeting their organizations' goals and mission.

Speaker 1

Initial speaker provides an overview of HSR, including what it is, why we need it, and why it is important to VHAs. (See template presentation, “Communicating HSR to your Audience”)

Speaker 2

Speaker discusses the importance of translating HSR findings for differing audiences. The session will focus on the need for tailoring the message to the audience, including the challenges of relaying research findings to policymakers, as well as translating research for the private sector, practitioners, and patients. (See template presentation, McGlynn)

Speaker 3

The third speaker provides a personal perspective on the impact of HSR. (see Lomas presentation, digital video clip)

Group discussion

The moderator leads a group discussion to identify and explore opportunities to champion the value of health services research and relay its importance to your constituents. The discussion might be framed around the following questions:

Do you agree that health services research can play an integral role in accomplishing the goals of our organization?
How can health services research be integrated into the organization's strategic planning, processes, and programs?

What do you see as the focus of our message to constituents regarding the significance of health services research to the overall goals of our organization?
What specific activities or materials would be helpful in relaying the message to our constituents?

The moderator closes discussion by soliciting suggestions for next steps from participants, aimed at developing and implementing a strategy for incorporating and supporting health services research.

After the meeting

Participants receive feedback forms to evaluate the meeting and provide additional insights into the implementation of ‘next steps' for the organization.

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