Seeing the Forest for the Trees: A Set of Descriptive Case Studies Presented with the Networks of Care Framework

Durable solutions for daunting problems in global health can be elusive. The global health literature tends to present aggregated data and highlight clinical outcomes but fails to describe the systems that buttress the interventions. The common idiom about “missing the forest for the trees” is aprop...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Address Malata, Andy E. Carmone
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2020-09-01
Series:Health Systems & Reform
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23288604.2020.1840824
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spelling doaj-42aa97eed94341bf816ab1708bbac3132020-12-17T17:28:35ZengTaylor & Francis GroupHealth Systems & Reform2328-86042328-86202020-09-016210.1080/23288604.2020.18408241840824Seeing the Forest for the Trees: A Set of Descriptive Case Studies Presented with the Networks of Care FrameworkAddress Malata0Andy E. Carmone1Malawi University of Science and TechnologyClinton Health Access InitiativeDurable solutions for daunting problems in global health can be elusive. The global health literature tends to present aggregated data and highlight clinical outcomes but fails to describe the systems that buttress the interventions. The common idiom about “missing the forest for the trees” is apropos: by focusing on individual examples, we may miss the bigger picture. How implementation of policies and innovations plays out on the front lines of service delivery often goes uncommunicated. The Networks of Care scoping study takes a different approach, looking at diverse programs to seek out common patterns. Using the four domains of the Networks of Care framework to structure descriptions of six operational programs reveals commonalities in their designs and shows the utility of the framework’s components. The commonalities increase our conviction that the framework can be used as a practical approach to strengthen service-level health systems. The case studies are followed by a commentary about the potential synergy of Networks of Care with Universal Health Coverage efforts, to deliver on the core promises to increase access and quality of care for all, especially the persistently underserved. These case studies help define a practical toolkit to promote enduring positive changes, forging a path for the Networks of Care framework to move anecdotes of individual successes to health policy and broader implementation, enabling global health practitioners at all levels to keep the big picture in focus while working toward ensuring healthy lives and well-being for all.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23288604.2020.1840824health equityintegrated health service deliverymaternal and neonatal healthnetworks of careuniversal health coverage
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Address Malata
Andy E. Carmone
spellingShingle Address Malata
Andy E. Carmone
Seeing the Forest for the Trees: A Set of Descriptive Case Studies Presented with the Networks of Care Framework
Health Systems & Reform
health equity
integrated health service delivery
maternal and neonatal health
networks of care
universal health coverage
author_facet Address Malata
Andy E. Carmone
author_sort Address Malata
title Seeing the Forest for the Trees: A Set of Descriptive Case Studies Presented with the Networks of Care Framework
title_short Seeing the Forest for the Trees: A Set of Descriptive Case Studies Presented with the Networks of Care Framework
title_full Seeing the Forest for the Trees: A Set of Descriptive Case Studies Presented with the Networks of Care Framework
title_fullStr Seeing the Forest for the Trees: A Set of Descriptive Case Studies Presented with the Networks of Care Framework
title_full_unstemmed Seeing the Forest for the Trees: A Set of Descriptive Case Studies Presented with the Networks of Care Framework
title_sort seeing the forest for the trees: a set of descriptive case studies presented with the networks of care framework
publisher Taylor & Francis Group
series Health Systems & Reform
issn 2328-8604
2328-8620
publishDate 2020-09-01
description Durable solutions for daunting problems in global health can be elusive. The global health literature tends to present aggregated data and highlight clinical outcomes but fails to describe the systems that buttress the interventions. The common idiom about “missing the forest for the trees” is apropos: by focusing on individual examples, we may miss the bigger picture. How implementation of policies and innovations plays out on the front lines of service delivery often goes uncommunicated. The Networks of Care scoping study takes a different approach, looking at diverse programs to seek out common patterns. Using the four domains of the Networks of Care framework to structure descriptions of six operational programs reveals commonalities in their designs and shows the utility of the framework’s components. The commonalities increase our conviction that the framework can be used as a practical approach to strengthen service-level health systems. The case studies are followed by a commentary about the potential synergy of Networks of Care with Universal Health Coverage efforts, to deliver on the core promises to increase access and quality of care for all, especially the persistently underserved. These case studies help define a practical toolkit to promote enduring positive changes, forging a path for the Networks of Care framework to move anecdotes of individual successes to health policy and broader implementation, enabling global health practitioners at all levels to keep the big picture in focus while working toward ensuring healthy lives and well-being for all.
topic health equity
integrated health service delivery
maternal and neonatal health
networks of care
universal health coverage
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23288604.2020.1840824
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