Knowledge implementation in health care management: a qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Health Services Management
• Knowledge Translation
• Healthcare Policy

Background:

• The global gap between healthcare knowledge and practice leads to significant financial waste.
• Frameworks like Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) aim to bridge this gap.
• Understanding research implementation in Iran's healthcare management is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the current status of knowledge implementation within Iran's healthcare management system.
• To evaluate the application of the PARIHS framework in the Iranian context.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to research implementation in healthcare management.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study employing directive content analysis.
• In-depth, structured interviews with 15 healthcare managers.
• Interviews guided by the PARIHS framework's elements: evidence, context, and facilitation.

Main Results:

• Local information and prior experience were the most frequently cited sources of evidence for decision-making.
• Evaluation was prioritized over other contextual elements like culture and leadership.
• A prevalent view of facilitation involved task delegation to others.

Conclusions:

• Iranian healthcare managers rely heavily on personal and local experience, neglecting formal facilitation strategies.
• There is a limited understanding of facilitation's role in implementing research into practice.
• The findings suggest a need for targeted interventions to enhance research utilization and evidence-based practice in Iran's healthcare system.