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Abstract
Background: The Alberta SPOR SUPPORT Unit Knowledge Translation (KT) Platform is a Canadian research-funded initiative established to support research on patient-identified priorities, connect relevant stakeholders, and apply evidence-based solutions to improve patient outcomes through various KT services including knowledge synthesis (KS). In the first phase of AbSPORU (2014-2021), we were mandated to establish support services by building relationships with health system partners. Aligned with the growing interest in learning health systems (LHSs) our Phase 2 mandate (2021-2025) has expanded from working with health systems to contributing to LHSs. In response, we have worked to align existing academic, health system, and government partnerships to build an initiative, called the ‘Implementation Science Collaborative’ (ISC), which aims to accelerate the implementation and improvement of evidence-based practices in Albertan settings.
Methods: To build the ISC model, we engaged with key stakeholders to learn about existing barriers and facilitators to moving evidence into practice. This engagement helped us identify opportunities to 1) align stakeholder priorities, and 2) leverage existing processes and infrastructures to facilitate LHS procedures that accelerate implementation of evidence-based practice. KS service providers perform a dual function as LHS stakeholders and as facilitative infrastructure. Including KS services providers as stakeholders helps them develop highly relevant and usable reviews for multi-stakeholder groups, in turn meeting their own goals of promoting evidence-based practice. By including KS providers in LHS operational processes, the ISC aims to institutionalize their services as a mechanism to facilitate access to priority-aligned evidence.
Results: Misaligned stakeholder priorities is a primary barrier for establishing academic-health system collaborations that are essential for emerging LHSs. Thus, a central activity of the ISC is designed to compile priorities of different stakeholders, identify synergies and collaboration opportunities across sectors, and provide support for well aligned implementation projects. KS service providers are essential to LHSs as they are the gateway to designing evidence-based health care. By incorporating KS providers into both engagement and operational components of the ISC model, the collaboration is improving the province’s capacity to provide appropriate and timely evidence-based interventions to Albertans. As cross-sectoral priorities emerge, providers such as the KT Platform can develop KS products to incorporate into the LHS in ways that support high priority health innovation implementation and improvement strategies.
Conclusion: Integrated KS provision in LHSs can provide directly relevant and highly usable KS products to inform implementation of health innovations and quality improvement. The ISC model and functions will be presented in detail.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: None.
Methods: To build the ISC model, we engaged with key stakeholders to learn about existing barriers and facilitators to moving evidence into practice. This engagement helped us identify opportunities to 1) align stakeholder priorities, and 2) leverage existing processes and infrastructures to facilitate LHS procedures that accelerate implementation of evidence-based practice. KS service providers perform a dual function as LHS stakeholders and as facilitative infrastructure. Including KS services providers as stakeholders helps them develop highly relevant and usable reviews for multi-stakeholder groups, in turn meeting their own goals of promoting evidence-based practice. By including KS providers in LHS operational processes, the ISC aims to institutionalize their services as a mechanism to facilitate access to priority-aligned evidence.
Results: Misaligned stakeholder priorities is a primary barrier for establishing academic-health system collaborations that are essential for emerging LHSs. Thus, a central activity of the ISC is designed to compile priorities of different stakeholders, identify synergies and collaboration opportunities across sectors, and provide support for well aligned implementation projects. KS service providers are essential to LHSs as they are the gateway to designing evidence-based health care. By incorporating KS providers into both engagement and operational components of the ISC model, the collaboration is improving the province’s capacity to provide appropriate and timely evidence-based interventions to Albertans. As cross-sectoral priorities emerge, providers such as the KT Platform can develop KS products to incorporate into the LHS in ways that support high priority health innovation implementation and improvement strategies.
Conclusion: Integrated KS provision in LHSs can provide directly relevant and highly usable KS products to inform implementation of health innovations and quality improvement. The ISC model and functions will be presented in detail.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: None.