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Military Health System

Implementation Science Branch

RSD branches: CIP, MHSR, RP, NMHM, IS. IS is highlighted.

Implementation Science (IS) is the study and application of strategies that facilitate the adoption of evidence-based practice and research into regular use. IS helps Military Health System organizations to move medical research and leading practices into broad-based clinical practice and supports Defense Health Agency priorities focused on outcomes, readiness, and satisfied patients.

Implementation Science:
Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice

Image shows a bridge spanning between Evidence-Based Clinical Guidelines and Improved Patient Outcomes. Implementation Science Phases & Key Activities: Project Management: Has a project been established? SMART Goals, Team Roles, Timelines. Dissemination: Do target audiences know about the product/practice? Market Research, Key Messaging, Materials & Resources. Implementation: Do potential adopters know how to use the product/practice? Assess Readiness, Cultivate Champions, Education & Training. Assessment: Was the knowledge product adopted & what was the impact? Lessons Learned, Measure Outcomes, Evaluation Process.

“It takes an average of 17 years for 14% of research to translate into practice.” - David Chambers, National Cancer Institute

The Defense Health Agency's Implementation Science Branch (ISB) is a support function within the Research & Engineering Directorate with a mission to transition mature, priority research into practice. By executing carefully selected and operationalized strategies via hands-on consultative partnerships, the ISB aims to increase adoption of evidence-based best practices and improve health outcomes. The IS team has supported several successful implementation efforts, including the Postpartum Hemorrhage Bundle Campaign and the Opioid Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution Program. Implementation science is used widely across federal health care organizations, including the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Cancer Institute.


Thumbnail of the Implementation Science Fact Sheet

Download the Implementation Science Fact Sheet.

Read about successful implementation efforts.

Last Updated: June 24, 2022
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