A Qualitative Study on Barriers and Facilitators to Effective Collaboration Between Local Health Departments and Hospitals

Abstract

A central component of the Public Health 3.0 model is building partnerships between local public health departments and other community organizations/stakeholders, including public and private hospitals, as a means of promoting data sharing, service coordination, and collective action. Evidence suggests that such partnerships remain challenging and infrequent. This qualitative study used in-depth interviews to identify barriers and facilitators to building effective collaboration between local health departments (LHDs) and hospitals. We purposively recruited LHD officials (n = 12) across the United States. A directed qualitative content analysis of the interview transcripts revealed five barriers and five facilitators to building effective collaboration between the two entities. Perceived barriers included competition, inconsistent participation and engagement, communication breakdown, time constraints, and lack of financial and human resources. Perceived facilitators included finding common ground, well-established relationships, aligning and leveraging resources, open communication, and leadership commitment. Findings highlight challenges and opportunities to promote effective collaboration between LHDs and hospitals.