The ART of evidence-based care: proof of concept of a novel strategy to accelerate research translation in health organisations.

Introduction: This study evaluated a novel strategy to improve accessibility of implementation science to clinicians in a large health network. The strategy, called Accelerating Research Translation (ART), was based on an adaptation of the A3 problem-solving method developed for use in healthcare quality improvement. Method: An observational pre-post design was used to conduct a 'proof-of-concept' trial of the ART strategy. Clinicians who identified a gap between a clinical practice guideline and usual care were recruited as Project Leads to conduct research translation projects over a 6-month period, supported by a training programme involving a workshop series and mentor. The proportion of patients receiving guideline-consistent care for each project was measured pre- and post-intervention, and results across projects were combined in a planned pooled meta-analysis. Secondary outcomes included changes in confidence in research translation for Project Leads and the degree of evidence of implementation, mapped against Meyer and Goes' stages of healthcare implementation. Results: Ten projects were completed by 13 Project Leads, involving a diverse range of professional disciplines, clinical specialties, and healthcare settings. Pooled analysis of data from 768 patients suggests the ART programme increased the odds of receiving evidence-based care (logOR 2.52, 95% CI: 0.93-4.11, Conclusion: This novel approach empowered clinicians to tackle evidence-practice gaps within a familiar structure already well-accepted and understood by health service providers. This concept provides a promising mechanism to demystify implementation science and address local evidence-practice gaps at scale.