PRIORITY-SETTING STAGEThe IAC will use the following criteria to identify resource needs: 1) Do investigators have access to sufficientmaterials to conduct their research and are they being obtained in a timely manner? IAC deliberations willclarify whether mechanistic solutions (e.g. advocating a streamlined (or purchasing card) ordering system) isindicated. Infrastructure needs will be determined by considering questions such as the following: 1) Is thereadequeate administrative support to adapt workload to demand? 2) Is there adequate access to mentors bymentees? 3) Are meetings occurring between partnership participants within their own institution? 4) Aredistance-conferencing capabilities adequate in quality and in ease of use? 5) Are adequate travel resourcesavailable for face-to-face training and research interactions? Remedies for imbalanced infrastructure needswill involve prioritization and shifting of resources to bridge gaps in the partnership support structure. In somecases partnership needs will entail negotiation with institutional leadership for additional resources, access tosupport staff, or departmental co-sponsorship of activities. IAC consideration of long-term partnership needsmay lead to recommendations for joint institutional recruitment of faculty in specific areas.In year Two of the partnership, the Annual Retreat will also involve 'Concept Mapping' exercises to identifycommon and disparate priorities and strategies among partnership stakeholders. The goal of these exerciseswill be to elaborate commonalities and differences between stakeholders regarding partnership priorities,infrastructure and logistic requirements for successfully meeting priorities, and long-term visions for thepartnership. Concept mapping is a formal methodology for obtaining and analyzing group input in developingaction plans, strategic planning, implementation and evaluation of initiatives (4). A recent example of the utilityof this approach was in the planning of a statewide health initiative in Hawaii (5). The Administrative Core willarrange concept mapping exercises through consultation as part of partnership retreats conducted early in thefirst year and in the third year of the grant period.
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