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Date of Report:
08/2009
Source:
Northwest AETC
Collaboration is a hallmark of the innovative work conducted throughout the AETC network, and the Northwest AETC (NW AETC) continues to build a strong network of relationships that bring the ideals of "partnership" to fruition. At its very core, the ideal collaboration is one that benefits all parties involved, and demonstrates a true distribution of responsibilities and resources. In the Northwest region, collaborative relationships facilitate a wide variety of diverse educational opportunities that build upon and magnify the AETC values of high quality, culturally competent, and innovative training for health care professionals. These collaborations occur both within the region and beyond our defined borders.
Within our region, we have seen extensive partnerships between and among local performance sites (LPSs) in order to expand the reach and appeal of larger training events. Such projects have included pairings of LPSs from multiple states as well as sites serving a wide variety of diverse populations, such as rural/urban events.
Also, collaborations within our region have benefited greatly from the longstanding Federal Training Center Collaborative (FTCC) relationships within our "western quadrant," which crosses the NW and Pacific AETCs, as well as training centers situated in Public Health Service regions IX and X. By leveraging our shared targets, goals, and objectives, these FTCC events have enabled all involved to greatly expand the market reach of our respective programs. Moreover, in most cases, such offerings have brought new trainees to each of our programs. Additionally, our collaborations have not been limited by our regional confines. In the Northwest, we have enjoyed successful relationships with other AETC centers, such as the National Minority AETC (NMAETC), which have allowed us to better meet the specialized needs of specific communities, such as Native Africans living in Alaska. By combining the cultural fluency expertise of the NMAETC with the needs assessment and marketing knowledge of our local LPS, we were able to present a training event that was so much more than merely the sum of its components. Also, the NW AETC prides itself on its capacity to collaborate with a wide range of national organizations, such as the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, International AIDS Society USA, and American Foundation for AIDS Research. Through these national pairings, we are better able to serve the needs of a broader range of providers as well as to take advantage of the wide range of expert trainers associated with these AETC partners or national organizations.
Changing times and evolving funding streams demand that we rethink the "silo-ing" of our training programs. Through innovative collaborations with a diverse collection of local and national partners, the NW AETC is better able to meet the demands of a rapidly shifting care environment.
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