Self-Assessment Tool

Exploring Organizational Capacity to

Use Research

Self-Assessment Tool

Overview

the context

the CHSRF tool

relevance to knowledge brokers

group work

final thoughts

Context: Research Use

Efforts to help healthcare organizations

develop ―research-informed‖ culture

Often relies on identifying leaders who can

promote organizational/cultural change

Howeverleaders are only a part of the equation …

Limitations of Leadership

―…the search for leaders might actually divert

our attention from a deeper need—the need to

understand why it is that those institutions find

it so hard to evolve in the first place…‖

Senge, P. (1998). Towards an ecology of leadership: An emerging systems

theory of leadership, and profound organizational change. Cambridge, MA: MIT

Sloan School

If Not Leaders, Then What?

The Foundation‟ focuses on several key dimensions of

organizational capacity to use research.

Acquiring: Can you find and obtain the findings you need?

Assessing: Can you assess research findings to ensure they are

reliable, relevant, and applicable to you?

Adapting: Can you adapt the research to make it „work‟ in the

local context?

Applying: Do you have skills, structures, processes, and culture

to promote and use research findings in decision-making?

How Does the

Self-Assessment Tool fit in?

CHSRF’s self-assessment tool is NOT:A test you take that gives you a “score” to compare

yourself to like organizations

A diagnostic tool that identifies “symptoms” in your

organization, and appropriate “cures”

Something that provides “the answer” to a specific

problem.

• So what is the tool and what does it do?

How Does the

Self-Assessment Tool fit in?

CHSRF’s self-assessment tool IS: A resource for individuals who would like to advance the

role of evidence in their organization

A tool to structure a discussion around research use

priorities and needs

A way to clarify needs and establish priorities

Support for resource allocation decisions

Background

Purpose: to help health service and policy

organizations evaluate their capacity to use

research results, in addition to more common

forms of evidence, when making management

and policy decisions Developed in 2000/ 2001

Iterative process

History

Tool used sporadically from 2000 – 2003

Usability and responsiveness assessment

(2003-2004)

Tool adopted by others

Revisions (2005)

Re-launch (Today)

Usability Assessment

34 organizations recruited from 4 health sectors

including:Long-term care facilities

Government departments and branches

Community and public health organizations

NGOs

Some Key Messages

“The tool was useful in bringing about discussion of research

within organization, bi-directionally among levels, including

research utilization and awareness of local context” (Long-term

care facility)

“One group came to the new (to them) realization that not only

can research be used for clinical practice decisions but also to

help organizations work more effectively.” (Hospital)

“The discussion … was extraordinarily valuable beyond your

research project, in terms of having a better understanding of how

things work at the corporate end of things.” (NGO).

The Self-Assessment Tool for

Knowledge Brokers?

To be effective, knowledge brokers need to understand all communities they serve and

bridge.

How can the Self-Assessment Tool

support knowledge brokers?

Use the tool to:

facilitate dialogue

identify needs

tailor support

Facilitating the dialogue

Setting aside the appropriate timeNeed time dedicated to an open and engaging

discussion

Identifying the right group? someone influential

? someone enthusiastic about using evidence

Identifying needs

Four key dimensions of organizational capacity

to use researchAcquiring

Assessing

Adapting

Applying

Identify areas where capacity development is

warranted

Tailoring support

Support capacity development efforts

Build on strengths while supporting weaknesses

Bring down barriers through facilitating factors

Now

YOUR Turn

Facilitating the dialogue:

How do we launch the dialogue?Getting the topic on the agendaCreating an open / unthreatening environment

Who is the right group?Group compositionGroup sizeGroup dynamics

Barriers / challenges?

Ideas / approaches?

Identifying needs:

Understanding the 4 A’s (acquiring, assessing, adapting, applying)

How do we get an accurate depiction of the situation?

All voices heardBalance between „necessity‟ and „nice to have‟

Barriers / challenges?

Ideas / approaches?

Tailoring support

How do we prioritize support?Internal resources versus external resourcescapacity development efforts

How do we make use of what exists?Ensuring appropriate individuals within the organizations recognize existing resources / services

When do we re-assess?

Barriers / challenges?

Ideas / approaches?