"There is nothing so practical as a good theory": a pragmatic guide for selecting theoretical approaches for...

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Implementation Science

Background:

• Numerous implementation science theories, models, and frameworks exist, potentially overwhelming clinicians and researchers new to the field.
• Clinicians are often responsible for implementation but may lack familiarity with theoretical approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a pragmatic guide for clinicians and researchers on understanding and selecting implementation theories, models, and frameworks.
• To encourage the use of theoretical approaches in planning and designing implementation strategies.

Main Methods:

• Presents a multidisciplinary guide for clinicians and health service researchers.
• Introduces ten commonly used and highly cited theoretical approaches in implementation science.
• Offers prompts for selecting a theoretical approach based on project purpose, scope, data, and resources.

Main Results:

• Theoretical approaches are often underutilized and applied retrospectively rather than prospectively.
• Emphasizes that there is no single correct way to select a theoretical approach.
• Encourages careful consideration of project specifics when choosing a theoretical approach.

Conclusions:

• Increased confidence in selecting and applying theoretical approaches is anticipated to boost theory-informed implementation projects.
• Theory-informed implementation can lead to more effective strategies for addressing evidence-practice gaps.
• Ultimately, this contributes to improved health outcomes through better implementation of evidence-based practices.