Utility of network analysis in assessing the development of a regional health partnership

Background: The Brazos Valley Health Partnership (BVHP), a regional partnership serving seven counties in Central Texas, was established to improve access to care and health status in the Brazos Valley. Capitalizing on community health development constructs, the BVHP has evolved as a partnership to address disparities in access to a variety of health and social services, particularly in the rural areas, through establishing rural health resource centers and the expansion of services through telehealth technology.

Methods: As part of the evaluation of the partnership, the Center for Community Health Development (CCHD) assessed the extent to which BVHP members' collaborative efforts have changed over time. Using an interorganizational network survey and a relationship scale administered to organizations within the BVHP in 2004 and 2006, CCHD was able to analyze changes in characteristics of various networks, including resource and information sharing, joint planning, and formal relationships among partners. Results: Network analysis revealed changes in various network characteristics, including an overall increase in network ties and increased network density among BVHP members.

Discussion: By evaluating changes in interorganizational relationships, CCHD was able to measure the evolution of relationships among member organizations as they worked to address health disparities within the region. Community-oriented researchers, particularly those engaged in community-based participatory research, will find the measurement of interorganizational relationships useful as both process and outcome measures of their efforts.