Table 6 Skills competencies related to D&I research

Skills - D&I science

Realist Synthesis: Building the Evidence Base for D&I Research

Identify existing gaps in D&I research/formulate methods to address barriers to address D&I research; capacity to conduct synthesis to address KT questions

Explain the evolution, current state, and future agenda of implementation science and its value to population health

Implementation science skills*/opportunity for participants to apply basisc of KT in their own settings/State a research question addressing a gap in the provision of an evidence-based intervention, practice, or policy

Identify and recruit sites for IS research/ Identify sites to participate in D&I studies, and negotiate or provide incentives to secure their involvement./ identify the practice change they want to implement, document the need for this change in their practice context, and summarize evidence of its effectiveness

Employ evidence-based practice/Implementation/ Practical application of IS in implementation research

Ability to articulate implementation science as an innovative approach to clinical and community-based research

Link barriers and facilitators to behavior change theory

Application of IS in specific contexts (e.g., LMICs)

Determine which evidence-based interventions are worth disseminating and implementing

Skills - Context

Assess, describe, and quantify (where possible) the context for effective D&I (setting characteristics, culture, capacity, and readiness)/must be able to determine which issues are most central to consider for their agency

Develop context-specific implementation strategies for scaling up best-practice intervention

Skills – Theories, Methods and Frameworks

Ability to select, critique, and use an established conceptual model or framework to guide a research study/TMFs knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy in KT intervention development and implementation/Use an evaluation framework to guide evaluation/Select conceptual models and theoretical justification to support the choice of implementation strategy and inform the design, variables to be measured, analytic plan, and sustainment

Determine which approach(es) have the highest potential to produce successful implementation in their unique service setting

Focus on impactful outcomes: translational and societal outcomes

Provide clinical and translational science instruction to beginning scientists

Integration into practice is evidence-in-action, in which practice is aligned to reflect best evidence

Incorporation of discoveries from bench science into human or animal studies/Translating research to practice

Incorporation of clinical trial results into clinical or practical guidelines/Assess data sources and data quality to answer specific clinical or translational research questions

Improvement in evidence-based health care service and delivery, patient outcomes and positive health behavior/ Clarify the need to implement a new intervention in response to the trend of health issues

Derive translational questions from clinical research data/ Interpret published literature in a causal framework./Horizontal development of Pioneering and superior practice: Identify advanced good practices and their implementation in other regions or by other organizations

Formulate well-defined clinical or translational research question

Identify basic and preclinical studies that are potential testable clinical research hypotheses

Integrate elements of translational research into given study designs that could provide the bases for future research, such as the collection of biological specimens nested studies and the development of community-based interventions

Propose study designs for addressing a clinical or translational research question

Implementation outcomes, inputs, strategies/ Define outcome measures for both implementation strategy (system outcomes) and clinical intervention (patient/population outcome)

Confirmation of higher goals/incentives: Confirm consistency with higher goals (such as comprehensive plan or basic guidelines)

Inclusive view of the impact that the evidence-based practice has on patient health outcomes; satisfaction; efficacy and efficiency of care; and health policy

Strengthening and refining health related policies and procedures

Improvement in community health, empowerment, and economic conditions to reduce health disparities

Development of new community-based participatory programs and partnerships geared toward effective and meaningful implementation

A Rapid-Learning Healthcare System: Using Research, Adopting Best Practices/Examine the importance of rapid research to advance D&I science concepts and directions

Work with partners to select IS outcomes measures

Global Applications of Implementation Research

Skills - Methods and Designs

Comparative Effectiveness Research: Moving the Field Ahead and Disseminating Results

Describe how to apply participatory methods in IS/ Be familiar with user-centered design; making interventions useful, usable, and desirable (design for dissemination)

Apply common D&I measures and analytic strategies relevant for your research question(s) within your model/framework/the multi-level nature of practice or service system change, and ability to select appropriate research methodologies, including randomized control designs and alternatives to group randomization/Selection of appropriate methods designs/Formulate methods to address barriers of D&I research./Describe implementation strategies for moving evidence into practice including existing taxonomies/classification schema

Practice-Based Research Networks: Participatory Laboratories for Discovery, D&I

Measure partnerships for IS research

Assess readiness for change in implementation settings

Evaluate and refine implementation strategies/measurement of implementation strategies and outcomes

Assess threats to internal validity in any planned or completed clinical or translational study, including selection bias, misclassification, and confounding

Assess threats to study validity(bias) including problems with sampling, recruitment, randomization, and comparability of study groups

Understand the aims of process, outcomes and impact evaluations and the application of these evaluation types in implementation

Select appropriate evaluation indicators/Design a research data analysis plan

Expertise in evaluation of implementation plans/Assess and mitigate risks in design/capacity to design and evaluate the impact, effectiveness, and sustainability of KT strategies in different settings/develop an implementation plan/Assess the implementation context

Integrate mixed methods in IS research/Gain facility with qualitative and quantitative experimental designs to plan, implement, and evaluate interventions and policy impact/Qualitative and quantitative research methods: paradigms, design, implementation, data analysis, writing/capacity in multiple research methods including qualitative methods to examine the determinants of knowledge use across different settings and stakeholder groups/Practical experience in quantitative surveys and descriptives analysis/Experience in conducting qualitative interviews

Evaluation of applied research methods/multilevel modeling

Design and Evaluation of study protocols

Evaluate implementation quality

Design and prototype service delivery processes and systems

Determine and measure processes and outcomes that support iterative cycles of implementation and bidirectional flow of information/Develop and assess processes and outcomes that support iterative cycles of implementation and bidirectional flow of information (e.g., learning health systems)

Alternative sources of data for implementation research

System Dynamics Tools for D&I/ Apply systems science and systems modeling approaches in D&I research

Examine the importance of rapid research to advance D&I science concepts and directions

In Search of Synergy: Strategies for Combining

Interventions at multiple levels

Designing, Measurement and Evaluation

Understand key constructs of participatory research, that is, collaborative, equitable, community-based, co-learning, capacity building and so on/Summarize(analysis level) the principles and practices of the spectrum of community-engaged research

Skills - Adaptation and fidelity

Identify a process for adapting an intervention in IS research/Identify and explore adaptive challenges to implementation

Explain fidelity and adaptation when developing interventions/strategies

Explain how to maintain fidelity of original interventions during the adaption process

Tailor strategies/Tailor implementation strategies to the implementation context

Use evidence to evaluate and adapt D&I strategies for specific populations, settings, contexts, resources, and/or capacities

Appropriate adaptation of context relevant interventions

Evaluate adaptations and their potential impact on outcomes

Understand the values, loyalties, losses, and benefits of different approaches to a variety of adaptive challenges

Characterize process models that support iterative cycles of implementation and adaptation based on learning

Skills - Dissemination

Dissemination of research findings/Communicate complex information to various end-user groups in appropriate formats, considering suitability and readability of content

Sharing knowledge

Fostering innovation/making research more relevant

Knowledge brokering

Strengthen communication skills

Disseminate research/program results to relevant stakeholders and communities in a manner that maximizes their influence and sustainability outside of the research paradigm

Plan for and carry out dissemination initiatives by selecting key messages and appropriate dissemination strategies

Develop knowledge tools for various end-user groups/Disseminate to people on the ground

Designing for Dissemination

Skills - De-implementation

Explain de-implementation in IS/Effectively explain and incorporate concepts of de-adoption and de-implementation into D&I study design

Skills - Sustainability and scale up

Integrate sustainability plans and concepts into work/Effectively integrate the concepts of sustainability/sustainment and the rationale behind them in D&I study design

Scale-up and spread/Develop sustainability IS partnerships/Identify and develop sustainable partnerships for D&I research./understand factors related to sustainability, spread and scale-up of evidence based practices outlined in various theories and frameworks

Understand methods of scaling up and what is required for each/Evaluate and refine innovative scale-up and spread methods (e.g., technical assistance, interactive systems, novel incentives, and “pull” strategies)

Develop a sustainability plan/Ensuring continuity between funding, partner cycles/ Describe key elements in forming a business plan for sustainment, identifying implementation costs and quantifying benefits

Sustainability

Create implementation support for spread and scale up

Marshal resources to ensure continuation and continuity of the supports necessary for sustainability/The capacity to sustain the supports necessary to ensure the ongoing success of the program. This will likely include maintaining the resources (e.g., monetary and/or personnel), required for the program, ancillary support services, and integrating the program into regular business practices

Skills - Ethics

Understanding of and ability to address the specific ethical issues in IR and capacity for responsible conduct of research

Discuss the cultural and social variation in standards of research integrity

Apply the main rules, guidelines, codes, and professional standards for the conduct of clinical and translational research