Increasing Access and Equity: Strategic Partnerships, Permutations, and Disruptive Innovation

Lutheran Medical Center and Lutheran Family Health Network FQHC sponsor the largest CODA-accredited post-doctoral residency training program in the world with close to 350 residents practicing within eight post-doctoral programs in 24 states and internationally.  Residents practice full-time in a unique and innovative educational model dependent on the success of strategic partnerships with multiple healthcare institutions and entities to assure sustainability.  These include academic health centers, FQHCs, IHS, correctional health, AHEC, health departments, and multiple other agencies.  Partnerships rely on entities with similar missions and satisfaction of mutual needs.  Importantly, the establishment of these models relies on the conceptual basis of disruptive innovation in education.  Through the use of distance learning, increased oral health access; manpower; and service-learning initiatives are disseminated to patient populations most in need at reduced cost.

Positive characteristics as well as barriers encountered in coalition building will be discussed. The complex models currently in place will be described. Affiliations, contracts, curriculum and faculty development are several key elements.  Effective public health programs rely on disruptive innovation and the interplay of effective management; communication; technical resources; political commitment to mission; and sustainable partnerships.

Public health is increasingly complex, with both public and private partnerships critical to improving oral health.  Coalitions willing to support increasing access to oral health are essential for progress.  Collaboration can be slow and frustrating as sharing resources between agencies may be politically difficult and complex.  However, community health coalitions suggest that accepting collective responsibility and mutual accountability can lead to successful partnership building.