Success Framework for HAI/AR Partner Networks
Strengthening Partner Networks for HAIs and AR
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Instructions
1. Who can use the framework?
- Anyone leading state-level partner networks can use the framework.
- Users can determine who else from the partner network to collaborate with to use the framework.
2. How frequently can I use it?
- The framework can be useful at least once annually for planning purposes.
- Given the evolving nature of partner networks, you may choose to use the framework more frequently for starting a new network, during ongoing coordination, and at critical junctures in the partner network (e.g., changes to leadership, partners, settings, priorities, funding).
3. What can I do before I start?
- Identify the partner network on which you would like to focus (e.g., state and local collaboration).
- Determine who else from within your partner network should join you in using the materials in this document to reflect on and improve the partner network. Convene these individuals.
- For help determining which partners to include, reach out to CDC for suggested tools and guidance materials on partner landscape and strengths assessments.
- For help convening the appropriate partners, reach out to CDC for suggested tools and guidance materials on convening, trust-building, and collaboration.
4. Where can I start?
- The framework consists of four partner network stages. You are encouraged to review the framework from stage A.
- You may find your partner network to be in a later partner network stage (e.g., stage C or stage D) of the framework. As good practice for supporting the partner network’s sustainability, you are encouraged to review the framework in its entirety starting from stage A.
5. How do I use the framework?
- With your partners, reflect on your partner network, and read through all questions.
- For clarity and ease of use, the framework is organized in linear stages. Your partner network, however, may operate cyclically, in fits and starts, or some other non-linear way.
- The framework provides guiding questions for wherever your partner network is in implementation, reflection, and/or improvement.
6. How do I read the framework?
- To get oriented to the framework, review the overview of the framework’s partner network stages and questions for each stage.
- If you need additional support, you may reference detailed actions for each partner network stage.
- Read each question in a column before moving to the next column (i.e., read all the questions in column A before moving to column B).
Success Framework
The success framework guides users through questions aligned to four partner network stages (A – D) to develop partner networks or identify areas for improving partner networks.
To orient yourself, read each question in a column, or partner network stage, before moving to the next column. If you answer ‘no’ to a question, reflect with your partners on why the answer is ‘no’ and what may be needed to answer ‘yes’. For additional support, review the framework’s Recommended Actions.
A. Determine Priorities
Key elements: Leadership, Strategy and Structure; Policies; Expertise and Resources
A.1: Does the partner network review policies (e.g., reporting requirements, contractual mandates) and available data (e.g., surveillance, assessment) to determine HAI/AR prevention priorities?
A.2: Does the partner network include the right partners and people to address data-driven priorities efficiently?
A.3: Has the partner network analyzed partners’ funding streams to determine the ability of funding to enable partners to address priorities?
For additional support, review the Recommended Actions: A. Determine Priorities.
B. Plan Approach
Key elements: Leadership, Strategy and Structure; Expertise and Resources
B.1: Has the partner network established a structure for coordination, accountability, and decision-making?
B.2: Has the partner network developed a strategy with shared goals and defined activities to address priorities?
B.3: Has the partner network established a plan to coordinate partners’ resources to achieve shared goals?
For additional support, review the Recommended Actions: B. Plan Approach.
C. Implement Activities
Key elements: Implementation; Communications
C.1: Does the partner network implement planned activities according to identified strengths, defined roles and responsibilities, and shared goals?
C.2: Does the partner network effectively communicate its goals, activities, progress, and/or achievements?
For additional support, review the Recommended Actions: C. Implement Activities.
D. Measure and Adjust
Key elements: Monitoring and Evaluation; Innovation and Adaptability
D.1: Does the partner network analyze available data to determine progress towards shared goals?
D.2: Does the partner network make changes to priorities, strategies, activities, staffing, and/or resources based on data and lessons learned?
D.3: Does the partner network’s structure evolve based on lessons learned and new priorities?
For additional support, review the Recommended Actions: D. Measure and Adjust.
Instructions for Recommended Actions
1. Who can review the recommended actions?
- Anyone leading state-level partner networks who wants guidance on how to answer ‘yes’ to the questions in the Success Framework.
- Anyone who is interested in forming a state-level HAI/AR partner network.
2. What do the levels mean?
- The levels aim to provide a range of actions for partner networks of varying maturity.
- Level 3 actions are the optimal level of maturity for partner networks. Partner networks who are at a level 3 are encouraged to review and reflect on the lower maturity levels.
- Levels are cumulative, meaning that a level 3 action assumes that your partner network has already achieved corresponding actions for level 1 and level 2.
3. How do I use the recommended actions?
- With your partners, reflect on the recommended actions and determine which actions may support your partner network’s needs for improvement.
- Determine the additional information, tools, or materials that may help your partner network take these actions.
- For suggested tools and guidance materials for taking action, reach out to CDC.
4. How do I read the recommended actions?
- The Recommended Actions each correspond to a stage in the Success Framework. For each question, there are three maturity levels of recommended actions.
- Read each description for each question before moving to the next question (i.e., read levels 1–3 across for A.1 before moving to A.2).
5. Who is responsible for recommended actions?
- The partner network is the actor for most actions.
- Some actions pertain to other actors (e.g., individual partners, person or organization, leader, champion).
- The Glossary contains descriptions of each actor.
A. Determine Priorities
A.1: Does the partner network review policies (e.g., reporting requirements, contractual mandates) and available data (e.g., surveillance, assessment) to determine statewide HAI/AR prevention priorities?
Level 1 Recommended Actions: Generate Awareness
- Individual partners review policies (e.g., reporting requirements, contractual mandates) to determine individual organizational priorities for addressing the burdens/needs
- Individual partners review available surveillance, assessment, or other data (e.g., antibiotic use and stewardship data, ICAR assessment data) to determine individual organizational priorities for addressing the burdens/needs
- The partner network has identified the decisions and actions it can make with available data, additional information needed, and types of data each partner can contribute
- The partner network understands each partner’s organizational priorities and has identified opportunities for collaboration
Level 2 Recommended Actions: Gain Regional or Population-level Understanding
- The partner network uses policies (e.g., reporting requirements, contractual mandates) to determine shared priorities for addressing the burdens/needs
- The partner network uses regional or population-level data to determine shared priorities for addressing the burdens/needs
Level 3 Recommended Actions: Gain Comprehensive Understanding
- The partner network uses policies and regional, population-level, facility-based, and assessment data to determine shared priorities
- The partner network analyzes data on emerging threats (e.g., by organism, infection, setting, population, geographic location, population, region, policies) to determine shared priorities
A.2: Does the partner network include the right partners and people to address data-driven priorities efficiently?
Level 1 Recommended Actions: Review Partner Landscape
- The partner network has determined its criteria for partner representation (e.g., geographic mix)
- The partner network has documented partners’ strengths, capabilities, scopes, goals, frequency of communication, possible leaders and champions, and other criteria for partner representation
- The partner network has reviewed the partner landscape to
- determine whether the partner network has the appropriate mix of expertise to address the priorities, and
- identify partner redundancies and gaps
Level 2 Recommended Actions: Map Strengths to Priorities
- The partner network has mapped partners’ strengths, capabilities, possible leaders and champions, and other criteria for partner representation to shared priorities
- The partner network is composed of partners needed to address shared priorities, based on identified strengths, capabilities, possible leaders and champions, and other criteria
Level 3 Recommended Actions: Identify Opportunities
- The partner network has reviewed the partner landscape to determine
- how partners prioritize HAI/AR within the scope of their responsibilities, and
- opportunities to leverage partner strengths, capabilities, and influence to address shared priorities and reduce partner redundancies and gaps
- The partner network is composed of non-traditional and new partners who may expand the influence and reach of the partner network (e.g., in new or different settings)
A.3: Has the partner network analyzed partners’ funding streams to determine the ability of funding to enable partners to address priorities?
Level 1 Recommended Actions: Document Funding Landscape
- The partner network has documented information on funding (e.g., streams, mechanisms, timeframes, parameters, uses) used by individual partner organizations, where possible and relevant to shared priorities
Level 2 Recommended Actions: Assess Gaps
- The partner network has reviewed funding information to understand the gaps in funding available to the partner network to carry out activities needed to address shared priorities
Level 3 Recommended Actions: Identify Opportunities
The partner network has identified opportunities to coordinate funds (e.g., braiding, blending) to ensure the partner network can carry out activities needed to address shared priorities
B. Plan Approach
B.1: Has the partner network established a structure for coordination, accountability, and decision-making?
Level 1 Recommended Actions: Define Roles and Responsibilities
- A person, organization, or group has committed to leading/convening the partner network
- A leader in the health department has committed to championing its role in the partner network
- Leaders in other partner organizations have committed to championing their organizational roles in the partner network
- Partner network leaders have defined partner roles/responsibilities (e.g., analysis, inspection, prevention) to optimize assets and reduce redundancy in the partner network
Level 2 Recommended Actions: Define Operating Model
- The partner network has defined its operating model by developing principles, policies, and/or procedures for partner network accountability and decision-making
- The partner network has defined a communication frequency (e.g., regular or need-based meetings) that
- aligns to decision-making timelines for activity and resource planning,
- keeps partners engaged, and 3) does not overburden partners
- The partner network has identified communication channels for coordination (e.g., phone calls, newsletters, meetings)
Level 3 Recommended Actions: Establish Continuity
- Partner network leadership and organizational champions consistently communicate with the partner network and other state or national actors to maintain and advance the partner network
B.2: Has the partner network developed a strategy with shared goals and defined activities to address priorities?
Level 1 Recommended Actions: Define Vision
- The partner network has defined a shared partnership strategic vision for HAI/AR prevention, based on data- and policy-driven priorities, as well as partner capabilities and strengths
- The partner network has identified changes to partners’ scopes of work that could affect the development of a partnership plan
Level 2 Recommended Actions: Develop Plan
- The partner network has developed a one-year partnership plan with
- shared HAI/AR prevention goals,
- coordinated and partner-specific activities for achieving goals, and
- implementation assignments, based on partner roles, responsibilities, strengths, capabilities, funding, and changes in scopes of work
- The partner network has developed a three- or five-year partnership plan with broad shared HAI/AR prevention goals
- The partner network has established incentives for organizations to ensure continued engagement in the partner network and commitment to achieving shared goals
Level 3 Recommended Actions: Develop Measures and Adapt
- The partner network has developed or used existing implementation, outcome, and/or impact measures to measure the partner network’s success in achieving shared goals
- The partner network has defined specific activities to address anticipated changes to the disease landscape, measurement, and/or technology (e.g., new or evolving threats, new diagnostic methods)
- The partner network has implemented and/or adjusted incentives (e.g., honor roll, monetary reward) for organizations to ensure continued engagement in the partner network and commitment to achieving shared goals
B.3: Has the partner network established a plan to coordinate partners’ resources to achieve shared goals?
Level 1 Recommended Actions: Plan for Coordination
- The partner network has developed an approach for tracking how individual organizations are allocating resources (e.g., staff, funding) for shared goals
Level 2 Recommended Actions: Coordinate Resources
- The partner network has deployed a plan to coordinate resources (e.g., staff, funding) for activities defined in the strategy, which may include funding mechanisms and timelines and staff-sharing terms of reference
- The partner network searches for funding and/or staff-sharing opportunities to support activities that advance shared goals
Level 3 Recommended Actions: Assess and Sustain Approaches
- The partner network has developed measures for benchmarking, improving, and/or assessing outcomes and impact of coordinated resources
- The partner network uses communication channels to share lessons learned, outcomes, and/or impact of coordinated resources
The partner network has identified creative or supplemental funding
C. Implement Activities
C.1: Does the partner network implement planned activities according to identified strengths, defined roles and responsibilities, and shared goals?
Level 1 Recommended Actions: Implement Activities
- The partner network implements planned activities to achieve shared goals based on defined roles, responsibilities, strengths, and data-driven priorities to optimize assets and reduce redundancy in the partner network
Level 2 Recommended Actions: Reflect and Manage Implementation
- The partner network coordinates and monitors partner network activities using shared management and accountability tools to optimize assets and reduce redundancy in the partner network
- The partner network manages challenges to implementing partner network activities to minimize or adapt to deviations in implementing planned activities
- The partner network reflects on real-time implementation observations or lessons learned and adapts planned activities as needed
Level 3 Recommended Actions: Leverage New Opportunities
- The partner network identifies and uses windows of opportunity (e.g., new legislation, administration changes, newly available funds, public interest, media attention) to advance implementation of planned activities
C.2: Does the partner network effectively communicate its goals, activities, progress, and/or achievements?
Level 1 Recommended Actions: Communicate
- The partner network communicates internally according to a defined frequency or pattern, which
- aligns to decision-making timelines for activity and resource planning,
- keeps partners engaged and progress moving, and
- does not overburden partners
Level 2 Recommended Actions: Share Knowledge
- The partner network shares information and promising practices (e.g., peer-to-peer mentorship, success stories) with each other to maintain transparency, interest, and commitment during implementation
Level 3 Recommended Actions: Influence
- The partner network uses organizational champions and other influential people to communicate within organizations, the partner network, and beyond the partner network to maintain buy-in and advance implementation
The partner network shares information and best practices with other states and/or national-level partners for scientific, stakeholder education, and/or new partnership opportunities
D. Measure and Adjust
D.1: Does the partner network analyze available data to determine progress towards shared goals?
Level 1 Recommended Actions: Gain Broad Understanding
- The partner network has developed analysis plans to capture and assess information about collective progress towards shared priorities at defined intervals
- The partner network reviews process, outcomes, and/or impact data to determine collective progress towards shared goals
Level 2 Recommended Actions: Gain Comprehensive Understanding
- The partner network uses shared management, accountability, and data visualization tools to track activities and ensure they advance progress towards shared goals
- The partner network has developed analysis plans to capture and assess information about collective progress and individual organizations’ contributions towards to shared goals at defined intervals
- The partner network reviews process, outcomes, and/or impact data to determine collective progress and individual organizations’ contributions towards shared goals
Level 3 Recommended Actions: Communicate Progress and Impact
- The partner network shares process, outcomes, and/or impact results with each other to maintain transparency, interest, and commitment
D.2: Does the partner network make changes to priorities, strategies, activities, staff, and/or resources based on data and lessons learned?
Level 1 Recommended Actions: Reflect
- The partner network participates in decision-making meetings to review health, assessment, and activity data and identify new shared priorities and/or strategies at defined intervals
Level 2 Recommended Actions: React
- The partner network adjusts priorities, strategies, activities, staff, and/or resources at defined intervals based on data and lessons learned from activities, funding approaches, and other partnership collaborations
Level 3 Recommended Actions: Anticipate
- The partner network makes changes to priorities, strategies, activities, staffing support, and/or resources in anticipation of emerging threats and/or changes in technology, measurement, funding, and policies
D.3: Does the partner network’s structure evolve based on lessons learned and new priorities?
Level 1 Recommended Actions: Reflect
- The partner network’s structure evolves based on lessons learned about the structure’s effectiveness, including the principles and/or procedures that inhibited or facilitated the partner network in achieving its goals
Level 2 Recommended Actions: React
- The partner network’s structure evolves to reflect changes in the partner landscape or to priorities and/or goals, including the introduction of new organizations or changes to HAI/AR landscape (e.g., policies or data by organism, infection, setting, population, geographic location)
Level 3 Recommended Actions: Anticipate
The partner network’s structure evolves in anticipation of changes to leadership, champions, personnel, priorities, and goals
- Strengthening Partner Networks for HAIs and AR
- >› Success Framework
- Appendices
- Glossary