The GREAT Network

The GREAT Network

The World Health Organization (WHO) has partnered with TIES to facilitate the establishment of an international collaborative called the GREAT Network (Guideline-driven, Research priorities, Evidence synthesis, Application of evidence, and Transfer of knowledge).  Since its establishment in 2012, the GREAT Network has supported partnerships with multiple low and middle income countries (LMICs) to improve maternal and infant health outcomes through improved implementation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. The GREAT Network provides oversight, technical assistance, and strategic directions to guide country-specific work. The Network has three key objectives:

(1) To establish a collaborative network of partners and stakeholders to improve the quality of care for mothers and infants;

(2) To build capacity in KT (also called implementation) based on the needs of the members of the GREAT Network; and

(3) To support the development of a strategy for guideline implementation within local contexts.

Country-specific projects employ a standardized methodology (focus groups and a consensus meeting) conducted during an in-person workshop to identify and prioritize barriers and facilitators to guideline implementation in the local context. Key recommendations generated during the workshop are used to inform the development of a multi-level implementation strategy for improving local use of the priority guideline(s). A local working group will be established in each country to develop, implement, and evaluate the country-specific guideline implementation strategy. To date, guideline implementation workshops have been conducted in Myanmar (June 2014), Uganda (August 2014), and Tanzania (November 2014) with plans for an upcoming workshop in partnership with Ethiopia in 2015.

The project involves four core collaborating centres (Kosovo, Thailand, South Africa, Argentina) and is guided by an Executive Committee comprised of 14 international maternal health experts and researchers. The GREAT Network is funded by CIHR: Network Catalyst Grant.

To learn more about the GREAT Network and country-specific activities, please visit their website at www.greatnetworkglobal.org.