A model for successful research partnerships: a New Brunswick experience.

The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of a partnership model used to conduct a research study entitled "Needs of patients with cancer and their family members in New Brunswick Health Region 3 (NBHR3)" (Tamlyn-Leaman, Creelman, & Fisher, 1997). This partial replication study carried out by the three authors between 1995 and 1997 was a needs assessment, adapted with permission from previous work by Fitch, Vachon, Greenberg, Saltmarche, and Franssen (1993). In order to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment with limited resources, a partnership between academic, public, and private sectors was established. An illustration of this partnership is presented in the model entitled "A Client-Centred Partnership Model." The operations of this partnership, including the strengths, the perceived benefits, lessons learned by each partner, the barriers, and the process for conflict resolution, are described. A summary of the cancer care initiatives undertaken by NBHR3, which were influenced directly or indirectly by the recommendations from this study, is included.