Formal relationships

About: Formal relationships is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 86 publications have been published within this topic receiving 1706 citations.

Understanding primary care-oncology relationships within a changing healthcare environment.

Abstract: Management of care transitions from primary care into and out of oncology is critical for optimal care of cancer patients and cancer survivors. There is limited understanding of existing primary care-oncology relationships within the context of the changing health care environment. Through a comparative case study of 14 innovative primary care practices throughout the United States (U.S.), we examined relationships between primary care and oncology settings to identify attributes contributing to strengthened relationships in diverse settings. Field researchers observed practices for 10–12 days, recording fieldnotes and conducting interviews. We created a reduced dataset of all text related to primary care-oncology relationships, and collaboratively identified patterns to characterize these relationships through an inductive “immersion/crystallization” analysis process. Nine of the 14 practices discussed having either formal or informal primary care-oncology relationships. Nearly all formal primary care-oncology relationships were embedded within healthcare systems. The majority of private, independent practices had more informal relationships between individual primary care physicians and specific oncologists. Practices with formal relationships noted health system infrastructure that facilitates transfer of patient information and timely referrals. Practices with informal relationships described shared commitment, trust, and rapport with specific oncologists. Regardless of relationship type, challenges reported by primary care settings included lack of clarity about roles and responsibilities during cancer treatment and beyond. With the rapid transformation of U.S. healthcare towards system ownership of primary care practices, efforts are needed to integrate strengths of informal primary care-oncology relationships in addition to formal system driven relationships.

Structural and relational support for innovation – formal versus informal knowledge exchange mechanisms in forest-sector learning

Abstract: In order to drive forest sector productivity, an emphasis has been placed on effectively transferring science knowledge to technical foresters. Having a communications plan and engaging the right stakeholders early can induce a rich learning environment that strengthens context, knowhow and ensures mechanisms are in place for knowledge to be transferred. Formalized structures such as reports and seminars have evolved to improve the science transfer process, but it appears that the key success factor in enhancing uptake and learning may require an environment that encourages relationship building, particularly trust building between parties in developing informal and formal relationships. Informal interactions, though not often acknowledged in business, foster the conditions conducive to good knowledge exchange – co-ordination, co-operation and communication. Enhancing conditions in which these three aspects grow can lead to increased social capital, changed paradigms and reduced business costs due to shar...

Temporal and Spatial Analysis to Personalise an Agent’s Dynamic Belief, Desire, and Intention Profiles

Abstract: The paper addresses the dynamic belief, desire and intention profiles that can be made of an agent following a particular route, for example through a city. It assumes that location of an agent has effects on his beliefs desires and intentions and that the history of agent’s mobility and observed states in different locations can be used to predict his future states if the location is being permanently observed. A formal spatial route language is introduced. Formal relationships between the intentional notions, and the spatial behaviour of an agent are defined. As an application an information agent architecture for reasoning about the intentions of the customers of a mobile location-based service is described.

Frameworks for innovation, collaboration, and change: Value creation wheel, design thinking, creative problem‐solving, and lean

Abstract: The value creation wheel (VCW) is the decision-making meta-framework recommended to address innovation, collaboration, and change challenges in formal relationships. The VCW can integrate, complement, or be joined with other frameworks, tools, and theories to address the challenges of formal relationships. The VCW's ability to incorporate intra- and interorganizational insights emerging from internal and external stakeholders is especially useful in solving the challenges of collaborative arrangements. VCW solutions are often more realistic than Design Thinking, Creative Problem-Solving, and Lean because they accommodate the views of various stakeholders about ideas and filters, and because key decision makers must be involved in the main stages of the decision-making process.

Improving practice-research connections through technology transfer networks.

Abstract: This paper presents a first look at network and survey data collected to ascertain the salience and value-added of technology transfer networks in reducing the science-to-service gap in behavioral healthcare services. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network served as the case setting upon which administrative and survey data were analyzed. Results show a rich set of formal relationships within the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and suggest participants found these relationships and this medium useful in altering their day-to-day practices and increasing their professional knowledge. The implications of these findings are that technology transfer networks are useful mechanisms worthy of investment of scarce resources.