Management of service networks in primary health care

Abstract

This report details the findings of a literature review and discussions with key researchers in the USA and UK on the use of service network research in primary health care. Contemporary health care problems associated with ageing related chronic conditions tend to be complex ongoing and usually multi-factoral. Such conditions often require input from a range of health and social care providers and so service networks as a form of health care delivery has emerged in recent years. Understanding service networks however is something of a 'wicked management problem' given the range of terms that are used the difficulty in clearly describing what a particular network is composed of (e.g. who is included and who is not) and in attributing cause and effect impact to network activities. Hence theoretical and methodological work is required to assist managers in the development and maintenance of quality in service networks.