Content

Successful translation of high-quality evidence into daily practice in clinical, health system or service organisation settings remains challenging. Research has shown that only a third of evidence-based practices are ever implemented in routine care and that the implementation trajectory takes an average of 17 years.

This results in considerable research waste. That is, even rigorous, innovative research with promising findings often stalls before it can produce practical advances or improved quality of care. Likewise, effective health care interventions too often end up on library bookshelves instead of driving innovation in health care settings.

Implementation science offers a scientific approach to facilitating and leveraging the successful translation of safe, effective health care interventions into real-life care settings. Building on existing clinical research and health systems research methods, implementation science integrates theoretical frameworks, thorough contextual analyses, patient and public involvement, use of implementation strategies, focus on effectiveness and implementation outcomes, use of a hybrid or implementation science specific design, and a trans-disciplinary approach.

In Switzerland, our rapidly increasing focus on and understanding of implementation science makes this a period of exceptional growth. As evidence of this, a number of implementation science projects are now funded not only by the Swiss National Science Foundation’s NFP74 research program but by other competitive funding agencies as well.

The Swiss Implementation Science Network (IMPACT) has four major goals:

(1) to showcase implementation science projects conducted by Swiss health care researchers and institutions;
(2) to provide networking opportunities for implementation science researchers and other interested
stakeholders in Switzerland;
(3) to provide training opportunities for implementation science; and
(4) to leverage funding options for implementation science in Switzerland.

The 1st IMPACT conference has two parts:

On January 22, 2021, we will spend the morning celebrating the official launch of the Swiss Implementation Science Network, beginning with keynote lectures.
Starting on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, we have organized a virtual Implementation Science Masterclass series with contributions from international experts. Each Masterclass will provide a mix of theoretical lectures & practical Swiss examples of implementation science projects, followed by a discussion.

Conference platform

A Zoom-link will be sent to all participants at least one week before the meeting.