2012 — Implementation Research Methods and Frameworks: Introductory Workshop

Mittman BS (Center for Implementation Practice and Research Support), Smith JL (Mental Health QUERI Center), Stetler CB (Center for Implementation Practice and Research Support)

Workshop Objectives:
Implementation research is the scientific study of methods to promote the systematic uptake of research findings and other evidence-based practices into routine practice, and, hence, to improve the quality and effectiveness of health services and care. Implementation research is a rapidly growing and evolving field, and represents an important priority for VA and HSR&D. VA's QUERI program (Quality Enhancement Research Initiative) constitutes VA’s largest focused program of implementation research, but additional work is underway within the broader HSR&D portfolio. Interest and funding from NIH and other US and international funding agencies (public and private sector) are growing as well. This workshop will (1) introduce participants to the field of implementation research, (2) present tools and frameworks for planning, designing, conducting, and documenting implementation studies, and (3) offer additional guidance and resources to HSR&D researchers interested in becoming actively involved in this field.

Activities:
The workshop will include three presentations, each followed by a question-and-answer period. Handouts listing the resources described by the speakers will be distributed. The first presentation will define the field of implementation research and discuss its placement in the broader pipeline of health-related research (encompassing basic/lab science to clinical, health services, and behavioral medicine research, to implementation research and improved health). The presentation will then describe key frameworks for planning, designing, conducting, and documenting implementation studies. The second presentation will describe theoretical and conceptual frameworks and tools for selecting, designing, and contextualizing implementation programs and interventions. The third presentation will discuss approaches and methods for evaluating implementation programs, emphasizing data collection and analysis methods that are unique or critical to implementation research (e.g., formative evaluation) but are less central to clinical research and to the major subfields of health services research, and are thus less familiar to health services researchers.

Target Audience:
Researchers interested in implementation research with little or no prior experience in the field. This is the introductory workshop in the CIPRS-supported "Implementation Research Methods Workshop Series."

Assumed Audience Familiarity with Topic:
This workshop is appropriate for researchers at all levels of familiarity with implementation research, including experienced implementation researchers interested in a review and an overview of new tools and frameworks, as well as researchers new to the field.