Leveraging intermediaries' skillsets to build implementation research and practice infrastructure: a qualitative case...

Area of Science:

• Implementation Science
• Health Services Research
• Organizational Infrastructure

Background:

• Implementation science is crucial for learning health systems but lacks guidance on infrastructure design.
• Few reports detail infrastructures for managing implementation science activities.
• The Implementation Science Collaborative in Alberta, Canada, serves as a model for embedded research and health innovation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide actionable recommendations for designing effective implementation infrastructure.
• To examine the co-design process of the Implementation Science Collaborative.
• To generate insights into designing cross-sectoral implementation science infrastructure.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal case study of the Implementation Science Collaborative (2018-2021).
• Document analysis of 190 initiative planning and operations documents.
• Semi-structured interviews with 6 Implementation Science Collaborative members.
• Analysis using the Large-Scale Change Driver Model.

Main Results:

• Infrastructure design and operationalization aligned with implementation planning principles.
• Implementation intermediaries effectively facilitated co-design and planning due to their expertise and political neutrality.
• Strong, cross-sectoral management leadership was essential for fostering partnerships and supporting the learning health system.

Conclusions:

• Co-design, facilitated by intermediaries, is a promising practice for developing local implementation science infrastructure and management systems.
• This approach allows for the creation of infrastructure designs that address diverse user needs.
• Effective co-design requires both intermediary expertise and cross-sectoral leadership knowledgeable about the local learning health system.