EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE CENTER Melissa McPheeters, PhD Co-Director, Vanderbilt EPC Engaging Stakeholders in EPC Work

EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE CENTER What are the EPCs? 14 Centers funded by AHRQ to conduct systematic evidence reviews At work for more than a decade “Pull” rather than “Push” approach to topic selection Increasingly engaged in activities of topic development and refinement and future research needs

EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE CENTER

What is a stakeholder? Anyone with a “stake” Someone affected in some way by the decisional dilemma surrounding a healthcare question For EPCs:  Patients and patient families  Clinicians  Payors  Policymakers  Funders (e.g., NIH)

EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE CENTER Why use stakeholders in systematic reviews? They are our front line They are the end users of our work They bring a range of perspectives to the table They add legitimacy to the process They provide expertise we may not have

EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE CENTER Contact points Topic identification Developing key questions Drawing the analytic framework Setting project scope through selection criteria Assessing completeness of the search Ensuring that the message is clear Identifying research gaps and future research needs

EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE CENTER Identifying stakeholders Personal networks “Known” leaders in the field Key organizations Official stakeholder groups (e.g. EHC Stakeholders) Literature scan

EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE CENTER Challenges Engaging stakeholders in a timely manner Ensuring that stakeholders have an a priori overview of the EPC process Balancing contractual obligations with stakeholder preferences Expecting and managing differences in opinion in a way that keeps the process moving and the team positive

EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE CENTER Managing stakeholder relationships Establish ongoing relationships Open-door communication Knowing when to use group work or one-on-one

EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE CENTER Logistics matter… Include administrative assistants on all communications Determine preferred communication method for general information and materials Circulate a contact list to the entire group. Encourage, from the start, that senior individuals designate an additional individual to participate alongside them Provide action-oriented minutes of all discussions Make individual follow up calls to KIs who are unable to participate in meetings Offer to arrange calls between content leads, directors and others in “off hours” as needed

EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE CENTER Balancing perspective with representation Not all stakeholders have an equal and unbiased “stake” – sometimes by design Conflict of interest does happen EPCs try and balance the perspectives present to manage explicit and underlying conflicts  Equal and opposing viewpoints  Separate interactions as needed

EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE CENTER Challenges ahead for the EPCs Clarifying the role of stakeholders Identifying the optimal number of stakeholders Getting balance in stakeholder types Reaching the right individual at a target group or agency quickly Obtaining and using input from patients and their families either directly or via advocacy groups