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Habit Formation to Enhance Implementation of Evidence-based Practice
Zabin Patel-Syed1,2, Kelli Scott3, Sarah Helseth3,4
1Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Center for Dissemination and Implementation Science, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA. zabin.patel@northwestern.edu.
Administration and Policy in Mental Health
|August 3, 2026
Summary
Habits can bridge the gap between healthcare professionals' intentions and actions, promoting evidence-based practices. By leveraging habit formation techniques, implementation science can enhance the routine use of these practices.
Area of Science:
- Implementation Science
- Behavioral Science
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Healthcare professionals intend to use evidence-based practices (EBPs) but often fail to do so.
- The intention-behavior gap in healthcare hinders the consistent adoption of EBPs.
- Habits, as automatic behaviors, offer a potential solution to bridge this gap.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of habit formation in addressing the intention-behavior gap for EBPs.
- To advocate for the integration of habit formation strategies within implementation science.
- To demonstrate how habit techniques can be planned and applied in healthcare settings.
Main Methods:
- Review of habit formation principles and their relevance to implementation science.
- Conceptual framework linking habit formation elements (cues, routines, rewards) to EBP adoption.
- Illustrative case examples of habit techniques in healthcare.
Main Results:
- Habits shift behavior control from internal guidance to external cues, facilitating routine EBP use.
- Habit formation strategies, including targeted cues and rewards, can be explicitly planned.
- Habit techniques offer a novel approach to catalyze EBP implementation.
Conclusions:
- Habits are a critical, yet underutilized, factor in the successful adoption of EBPs.
- Implementation science should actively incorporate habit formation principles to enhance strategy selection.
- Explicitly planning for habit formation can support healthcare professionals in making EBPs routine.
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