University of Utah’s Forum on Advancing the Theory and Application of Implementation Science
BACKGROUND
Each year, billions of US tax dollars are spent on research and hundreds of billions are spent on delivery of health, healthcare, and public health interventions in clinical and community settings. Unfortunately, the application of scientific discoveries is less than robust in real world settings and there exists a fundamental disconnect between discovery and front line application of that discovery. Simply put, getting a new idea or discovery adopted, even when it has obvious advantages, is difficult. The US National Institutes of Health has recognized that closing the gap between biomedical and basic behavioral discovery and population health and healthcare delivery is both a complex challenge and an absolute necessity to ensure that all populations benefit from the Nation’s investments in scientific discoveries.
Dissemination and Implementation (D&I) Research is a means to confront this fundamental disconnect between discovery and application. D&I research typically involves both interdisciplinary cooperation and trans-disciplinary collaboration, utilizing theories, empirical findings, and methods from a variety of fields. Implementation research is defined as the scientific study of the use of strategies to adopt and integrate evidence-based health interventions into clinical and community settings to improve individual outcomes and benefit population health. Broadly speaking, implementation science seeks to identify, understand, and develop strategies for overcoming barriers to the adoption, adaptation, integration, scale-up and sustainability of evidence-based interventions, tools, policies, and guidelines. Conversely, there is a benefit in understanding circumstances that create a need to stop or reduce (“de-implement”) the use of interventions that are ineffective, unproven, low-value, or harmful. Dissemination research is defined as the scientific study of targeted distribution of information and intervention materials to a specific public health or clinical practice audience. The intent is to understand how best to communicate and integrate knowledge and the associated evidence-based interventions.
PURPOSE
The University of Utah’s “Forum on Advancing the Theory and Application of Implementation Science” (aka “Utah’s Forum on Implementation Science”) seeks to disseminate the latest novel research regarding the theory, practice, and application of D&I science
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the forum presentation the interdisciplinary audience will be able to:
- Appreciate the latest discoveries and application of D&I research
- Understand the theory of D&I science
- Appreciate the career trajectories and scholarly activities common to D&I science
- Interact with D&I science scholars and trainees
PRESENTERS
Recognized experts in implementation science. Presenters will be provided a formal invitation to present and be recognized for their presentation.
WHERE
Virtually for 2020-2021
WHEN
The second Monday of every other month from 11am - 12pm MST, beginning in December 2020, and continuing February, April, June, August, October, and December in 2021.