How the ACA, COVID-19 and Electronic Records Are Accelerating Implementation Science at Penn
Penn LDI’s Rinad Beidas and Meghan Lane-Fall Reflect on an Extraordinary Decade of Change
As health and community settings grapple with resource-constrained conditions, the use of evidence-based strategies in routine practice will be critical to maximizing the value of care and improving health outcomes. Implementation science research plays a critical role in promoting uptake of these strategies. Penn is home to a rich network of implementation science expertise and activities across many fields in health care. Activities include grant-funded projects, an education program, an annual Implementation Science Institute, and regular works-in-progress meetings.
In addition to PISCE@LDI, there are other efforts taking place to build out implementation science across Penn. For example, in 2020, the Penn Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Implementation Science in Philadelphia to end the HIV Epidemic Regionally Scientific Working Group (ISPHERE SWG) was launched. Led by Rinad Beidas, PhD; Florence Momplaisir, MD, MSHP, FACP; and Steven Meanley, MPH, PhD, the ISPHERE SWG aims to draw on the expertise in implementation science and HIV-related care at Penn Medicine, Penn CFAR, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, and the Greater Philadelphia community to create capacity for collaboration on work at the intersection of HIV prevention, HIV treatment, intervention, and implementation science throughout Philadelphia County in the service of ending the HIV epidemic collaboratively and equitably. Learn more here.
Advancing the Quality of Cancer Care Through Behavioral Economics and Implementation Science
Rinad Beidas, PhD, Justin Bekelman, MD, and Robert Schnoll, PhD, received funding from the National Cancer Institute to use implementation science and behavioral economics to increase use of evidence-based practices in cancer care, with health equity as a focus across all projects. Penn becomes the 7th Implementation Science Center in Cancer Control (ISC3) funded by the NCI as part of the Cancer Moonshot.
Handoffs and Transitions in Critical Care – Understanding Scalability
Meghan Lane-Fall, MD, was awarded a R01 grant to study the implementation of a standardized handoff protocol in adult and pediatric ICUs. While standardized post-surgical handoffs are an intervention deemed high priority by the American Heart Association, there is inconsistent adoption of this by hospitals. This pragmatic Hybrid Type 2 effectiveness-implementation study will have a dual focus on demonstrating improvements in both short-term patient outcomes and implementation outcomes.
Validation of a Causal Model of Implementation
Emily Becker-Haimes, PhD, received an R01 award to test the generalizability of a conceptual model that posits the causal relationship among variables from organizational and social psychology – for example, climate, culture, attitudes, and workload – to predict clinician use of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Results will inform the development of implementation strategies that target modifiable factors explaining substantial variance in intention and in implementation that can be applied broadly across evidence-based practices.
Leveraging Implementation and Behavioral Science to Reduce Harmful Overuse of Diagnostic Testing in Critically Ill Children
Charlotte Woods-Hill, MD has been awarded this K23 from NHBLI. Using cognitive bias and the CFIR framework, she will investigate determinants of overuse of testing for bacterial infections in the pediatric intensive care unit, and then develop and test strategies for reducing overuse in a pilot hybrid trial. The ultimate goal is to reduce unintended harm to fragile pediatric ICU patients from unnecessary tests and treatments.
Fidelity and Adaptation of Breast Cancer Resource-Stratified Treatment Guidelines in Botswana
Yehoda Martei, MD, MSCE, received a K award that aims to investigate whether inferior outcomes for HIV-positive breast cancer patients in Sub-Saharan Africa are related to the quality or extent of evidence-based treatment guideline implementation or other unrelated factors. The study will be conducted in Botswana. The long-term goal is to improve survival outcomes in HIV-positive and HIV-negative breast cancer patients in Sub-Saharan Africa by designing targeted interventions to increase high-quality therapy delivery.
Penn LDI’s Rinad Beidas and Meghan Lane-Fall Reflect on an Extraordinary Decade of Change
Two Game-Changing Facts Increase Potential to Control Disease Spread
Third Year of Intensive Three-Day Curriculum Sold Out in Advance
Researcher Lisa Saldana Briefs Penn Implementation Science Center Seminar
Two Game-Changing Facts Increase Potential to Control Disease Spread
Third Year of Intensive Three-Day Curriculum Sold Out in Advance