The Implementation Research Logic Model: A method for planning, executing, reporting, and synthesizing implementation projects

Justin D. Smith; Dennis H. Li; Miriam R. Rafferty

doi:10.1186/s13012-020-01041-8

The Implementation Research Logic Model: A method for planning, executing, reporting, and synthesizing implementation projects

Justin D. Smith^*, Dennis H. Li, Miriam R. Rafferty

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

322 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Numerous models, frameworks, and theories exist for specific aspects of implementation research, including for determinants, strategies, and outcomes. However, implementation research projects often fail to provide a coherent rationale or justification for how these aspects are selected and tested in relation to one another. Despite this need to better specify the conceptual linkages between the core elements involved in projects, few tools or methods have been developed to aid in this task. The Implementation Research Logic Model (IRLM) was created for this purpose and to enhance the rigor and transparency of describing the often-complex processes of improving the adoption of evidence-based interventions in healthcare delivery systems. Methods: The IRLM structure and guiding principles were developed through a series of preliminary activities with multiple investigators representing diverse implementation research projects in terms of contexts, research designs, and implementation strategies being evaluated. The utility of the IRLM was evaluated in the course of a 2-day training to over 130 implementation researchers and healthcare delivery system partners. Results: Preliminary work with the IRLM produced a core structure and multiple variations for common implementation research designs and situations, as well as guiding principles and suggestions for use. Results of the survey indicated a high utility of the IRLM for multiple purposes, such as improving rigor and reproducibility of projects; serving as a "roadmap"for how the project is to be carried out; clearly reporting and specifying how the project is to be conducted; and understanding the connections between determinants, strategies, mechanisms, and outcomes for their project. Conclusions: The IRLM is a semi-structured, principle-guided tool designed to improve the specification, rigor, reproducibility, and testable causal pathways involved in implementation research projects. The IRLM can also aid implementation researchers and implementation partners in the planning and execution of practice change initiatives. Adaptation and refinement of the IRLM are ongoing, as is the development of resources for use and applications to diverse projects, to address the challenges of this complex scientific field.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	84
Journal	Implementation Science
Volume	15
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-020-01041-8
State	Published - Sep 25 2020

Funding

This study was supported by grant P30 DA027828 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, awarded to C. Hendricks Brown; grant U18 DP006255 to Justin Smith and Cady Berkel; grant R56 HL148192 to Justin Smith; grant UL1 TR001422 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences to Donald Lloyd-Jones; grant R01 MH118213 to Brian Mustanski; grant P30 AI117943 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to Richard D’Aquila; grant UM1 CA233035 from the National Cancer Institute to David Cella; a grant from the Woman’s Board of Northwestern Memorial Hospital to John Csernansky; grant F32 HS025077 from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; grant NIFTI 2016-20178 from the Foundation for Physical Therapy; the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab; and by the Implementation Research Institute (IRI) at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, through grant R25 MH080916 from the National Institute of Mental Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs, Health Services Research & Development Service, and Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) to Enola Proctor. The opinions expressed herein are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality the Department of Veterans Affairs, or any other part of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Keywords

Integration
Logic models
Program theory
Study specification

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Health Policy
Health Informatics
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Access to Document

10.1186/s13012-020-01041-8

Cite this

@article{65b8ee78e794495792388af389f54226,

title = "The Implementation Research Logic Model: A method for planning, executing, reporting, and synthesizing implementation projects",

abstract = "Background: Numerous models, frameworks, and theories exist for specific aspects of implementation research, including for determinants, strategies, and outcomes. However, implementation research projects often fail to provide a coherent rationale or justification for how these aspects are selected and tested in relation to one another. Despite this need to better specify the conceptual linkages between the core elements involved in projects, few tools or methods have been developed to aid in this task. The Implementation Research Logic Model (IRLM) was created for this purpose and to enhance the rigor and transparency of describing the often-complex processes of improving the adoption of evidence-based interventions in healthcare delivery systems. Methods: The IRLM structure and guiding principles were developed through a series of preliminary activities with multiple investigators representing diverse implementation research projects in terms of contexts, research designs, and implementation strategies being evaluated. The utility of the IRLM was evaluated in the course of a 2-day training to over 130 implementation researchers and healthcare delivery system partners. Results: Preliminary work with the IRLM produced a core structure and multiple variations for common implementation research designs and situations, as well as guiding principles and suggestions for use. Results of the survey indicated a high utility of the IRLM for multiple purposes, such as improving rigor and reproducibility of projects; serving as a {"}roadmap{"}for how the project is to be carried out; clearly reporting and specifying how the project is to be conducted; and understanding the connections between determinants, strategies, mechanisms, and outcomes for their project. Conclusions: The IRLM is a semi-structured, principle-guided tool designed to improve the specification, rigor, reproducibility, and testable causal pathways involved in implementation research projects. The IRLM can also aid implementation researchers and implementation partners in the planning and execution of practice change initiatives. Adaptation and refinement of the IRLM are ongoing, as is the development of resources for use and applications to diverse projects, to address the challenges of this complex scientific field.",

keywords = "Integration, Logic models, Program theory, Study specification",

author = "Smith, {Justin D.} and Li, {Dennis H.} and Rafferty, {Miriam R.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 The Author(s).",

year = "2020",

month = sep,

day = "25",

doi = "10.1186/s13012-020-01041-8",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "15",

journal = "Implementation Science",

issn = "1748-5908",

publisher = "BioMed Central",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Implementation Research Logic Model

T2 - A method for planning, executing, reporting, and synthesizing implementation projects

AU - Smith, Justin D.

AU - Li, Dennis H.

AU - Rafferty, Miriam R.

PY - 2020/9/25

Y1 - 2020/9/25

N2 - Background: Numerous models, frameworks, and theories exist for specific aspects of implementation research, including for determinants, strategies, and outcomes. However, implementation research projects often fail to provide a coherent rationale or justification for how these aspects are selected and tested in relation to one another. Despite this need to better specify the conceptual linkages between the core elements involved in projects, few tools or methods have been developed to aid in this task. The Implementation Research Logic Model (IRLM) was created for this purpose and to enhance the rigor and transparency of describing the often-complex processes of improving the adoption of evidence-based interventions in healthcare delivery systems. Methods: The IRLM structure and guiding principles were developed through a series of preliminary activities with multiple investigators representing diverse implementation research projects in terms of contexts, research designs, and implementation strategies being evaluated. The utility of the IRLM was evaluated in the course of a 2-day training to over 130 implementation researchers and healthcare delivery system partners. Results: Preliminary work with the IRLM produced a core structure and multiple variations for common implementation research designs and situations, as well as guiding principles and suggestions for use. Results of the survey indicated a high utility of the IRLM for multiple purposes, such as improving rigor and reproducibility of projects; serving as a "roadmap"for how the project is to be carried out; clearly reporting and specifying how the project is to be conducted; and understanding the connections between determinants, strategies, mechanisms, and outcomes for their project. Conclusions: The IRLM is a semi-structured, principle-guided tool designed to improve the specification, rigor, reproducibility, and testable causal pathways involved in implementation research projects. The IRLM can also aid implementation researchers and implementation partners in the planning and execution of practice change initiatives. Adaptation and refinement of the IRLM are ongoing, as is the development of resources for use and applications to diverse projects, to address the challenges of this complex scientific field.

AB - Background: Numerous models, frameworks, and theories exist for specific aspects of implementation research, including for determinants, strategies, and outcomes. However, implementation research projects often fail to provide a coherent rationale or justification for how these aspects are selected and tested in relation to one another. Despite this need to better specify the conceptual linkages between the core elements involved in projects, few tools or methods have been developed to aid in this task. The Implementation Research Logic Model (IRLM) was created for this purpose and to enhance the rigor and transparency of describing the often-complex processes of improving the adoption of evidence-based interventions in healthcare delivery systems. Methods: The IRLM structure and guiding principles were developed through a series of preliminary activities with multiple investigators representing diverse implementation research projects in terms of contexts, research designs, and implementation strategies being evaluated. The utility of the IRLM was evaluated in the course of a 2-day training to over 130 implementation researchers and healthcare delivery system partners. Results: Preliminary work with the IRLM produced a core structure and multiple variations for common implementation research designs and situations, as well as guiding principles and suggestions for use. Results of the survey indicated a high utility of the IRLM for multiple purposes, such as improving rigor and reproducibility of projects; serving as a "roadmap"for how the project is to be carried out; clearly reporting and specifying how the project is to be conducted; and understanding the connections between determinants, strategies, mechanisms, and outcomes for their project. Conclusions: The IRLM is a semi-structured, principle-guided tool designed to improve the specification, rigor, reproducibility, and testable causal pathways involved in implementation research projects. The IRLM can also aid implementation researchers and implementation partners in the planning and execution of practice change initiatives. Adaptation and refinement of the IRLM are ongoing, as is the development of resources for use and applications to diverse projects, to address the challenges of this complex scientific field.

KW - Integration

KW - Logic models

KW - Program theory

KW - Study specification

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85092070720&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85092070720&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1186/s13012-020-01041-8

DO - 10.1186/s13012-020-01041-8

M3 - Article

C2 - 32988389

AN - SCOPUS:85092070720

SN - 1748-5908

VL - 15

JO - Implementation Science

JF - Implementation Science

IS - 1

M1 - 84

ER -

The Implementation Research Logic Model: A method for planning, executing, reporting, and synthesizing implementation projects

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint