Implementation

Improving the health of the population depends on the large-scale implementation of health interventions that have been proven effective in a controlled research environment. Although much knowledge has been generated in recent years about what works in health services, outcomes for end users have not improved in line with advances in this knowledge.

This deficit is known as the ‘implementation gap’, the difference between our knowledge of ‘what works’ and the application of this knowledge in real practice. Implementation science refers to the scientific study of methods for promoting the systematic adoption of evidence-based interventions in practice and, therefore, improving health.