A Social Networked Approach to Implementation: Questions, Methods, and Interventions

Alicia Bunger, MSW, PhD
The Ohio State University

Reza Yousefi-Nooraie, PhD
University of Rochester

ABSTRACT:
Social networks are channels for transmitting knowledge, influence, and resources among patients, professionals, and organizations. These relationships are at the heart of all dissemination and implementation efforts. Examining implementation from a social network perspective has potential to help us better understand the complex social contexts of implementation, their dynamic evolution over time, and implementation success. Networks can also be altered or leveraged deliberately to facilitate and sustain implementation. In this talk, we will introduce terminology and assumptions underlying social network analysis and illustrate how social network analysis can be used to address a range of implementation research questions. We will also introduce a new typology of network interventions (interventions that deliberately alter network structures) that have potential to be used as implementation strategies.

To request powerpoint slides, please email psmg@northwestern.edu