Innovation & Research Centre - Research, Knowledge Translation and Implementation Guide: Implementation Science and Knowledge Translation

• Implementation commences with an ‘Exploration’ stage, readiness is assessed by an Implementation Team and resource requirements identified. Taking the time to plan and conduct this stage well improves the chances for success.
• The function of the second stage, ‘Installation’, is to secure the needed resources to do the work ahead and prepare staff for the new practices e.g. identify staff, sources for training and coaching, provide initial staff training, find or establish performance assessment (fidelity) tools, locate office space etc.
• Next is ‘Initial Implementation’, when the innovation (the evidence-based program) is being used for the first time and staff are attempting to use newly learned skills. This is the most fragile stage, where the challenges of trying new things and changing old ways are strong motivations for giving up and going back to ‘business as usual’.
• ‘Full Implementation’ is reached when 50% or more of the intended staff are using the innovation properly and with good outcomes. The Stages are dynamic and shifting back and forth between Stages as personnel and circumstances change is to be expected. 

For an overview of the process and links to sources of support and education click on the Implementation Science Fact Sheet below.

Adopting new program necessitates change and Implementation Teams are a key factor in assessing service/team readiness, developing staff competencies required by the evidence-based program, helping executive leadership teams to adjust organisation roles and functions to align with the program, and helping service leaders fully support the process of using the program and incorporating the necessary implementation supports.

(Fixsen et al., 2010)

A wide range of education/training sessions are available to all staff within Metro North via videoconference, face to face sessions, and the intranet.

• Access the MNHHS Research education and events site https://metronorth.health.qld.gov.au/research/education-and-events to find and sign up for education and training sessions.
• The Metro North Collaborative for Allied Health Research, Learning and Innovation (CAHRLI) offers a monthly lunchtime video-conference workshop series on research and quality improvement topics. Recorded sessions are available at,  https://qheps.health.qld.gov.au/metronorth/allied-health/cahrli/rqis/cahrli-research-and-qi-series-videos . A good introductory presentation is that from 7-Aug-18, ‘Implementing evidence into practice: Intro to an implementation Science Approach by Dr’s Young and de Jersey.
• The Allied Health Translating Research Into Practice (AH-TRIP) initiative is a training package designed to prepare clinicians to plan and undertake a translational research project in their practice. The ‘Implementation’ component of the package is accessible via  https://www.health.qld.gov.au/clinical-practice/database-tools/translating-research-into-practice/implementation.

There are also some excellent external sources on implementation science and frameworks:

• The Fogarty International Center ‘Overcoming Barriers to Implementation in Global Health’ Toolkit, available at https://www.fic.nih.gov/About/center-global-health-studies/neuroscience-implementation-toolkit/Pages/default.aspx,  includes recognised and successful implementation models, frameworks, strategies and approaches.
• The National Implementation Research Network,  https://nirn.fpg.unc.edu/, has a wide range of resources and tools for use in implementing evidence-based programs.