Implementation science: from evidence to practice

  • Fernando Suárez-Obando Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
  • Carlos Gómez-Restrepo Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
  • Sergio Castro Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia

Abstract

The wide range of scientific evidence supporting various clinical interventions is not sufficient for these interventions to be used in practice. For this reason, Evidence-Based Medicine must take the step towards Evidence-Based Practice, through implementation processes that allow deploying and contextualizing the health interventions supported by evidence. For this purpose, the Science of implementation has been developed, which investigates the factors that influence the effective and complete use of scientific innovations in practice, trying to maximize the benefits of health interventions. This science is defined as the study of methods that promote the systematic incorporation of research findings in the clinical routine, with the aim of improving the quality and effectiveness of health services and interventions. The purpose of this article is to introduce the concept of Implementation Science in relation to clinical epidemiology and establish the reasons by which there is an urgent need for its development. In addition, it has the purpose of explaining why the need to accelerate the effective application of Evidence-Based Medicine and define the main models that define the scope of work of this science, including: the particularities of implementation studies, their differences with the classic studies of clinical epidemiology, the implementation and evaluation models, as well as the definition of expected outcomes in an implementation study.

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Author Biographies

Fernando Suárez-Obando, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
Instituto de Genética Humana. Doctorado de Epidemiología Clínica, Departamento de Epidemiología y Bioestadística. Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio
Carlos Gómez-Restrepo, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
Doctorado de Epidemiología Clínica, Departamento de Epidemiología y Bioestadística, Facultad de Medicina. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. Hospital Universitario San Ignacio
Sergio Castro, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
Doctorado de Epidemiología Clínica, Departamento de Epidemiología y Bioestadística, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
Published
2017-12-08
How to Cite
Suárez-Obando, F., Gómez-Restrepo, C., & Castro, S. (2017). Implementation science: from evidence to practice. Acta Medica Colombiana, 43(4), 207-216. https://doi.org/10.36104/amc.2018.1054
Section
Medical Education and Practice