New MSFHR project grants support teams using implementation science to improve care

27 May 2019

Five teams have been awarded project grants through MSFHR’s new Implementation Science Team (IST) Program, developed to address a gap in understanding how research findings and other evidence-based practices are taken up to ultimately improve health and health care in BC. These grants are valued at up to $500,000 over three years. The teams are working on projects that address BC’s health system priorities and range from supporting children with neuro-disabilities, to using assistive technologies to enable older adults to stay in their homes longer, to preventing recurring hip fractures in patients with osteoporosis.

The IST Program supports teams of researchers and research users to plan, conduct and study the implementation of proven health interventions to improve the quality and effectiveness of health, health services and care in BC. In 2018, MSFHR awarded development grants to support 10 teams from across the province with project development, as they worked towards submitting project grant applications. Of those, five teams have now been awarded project grants.

“Supporting implementation science is important for MSFHR because it enables researchers to bring proven treatments and interventions to broader populations; this broader reach can improve outcomes for more patients across BC and beyond. We’re pleased to be offering this opportunity to build implementation science capacity in BC and support health system transformation,” says MSFHR President & CEO Dr. Bev Holmes.

Globally, health care systems and funders are beginning to recognize the importance of implementation science and its impact on supporting health system change. As the IST awards are new, MSFHR will be working closely with the cohort of award recipients to evaluate the individual teams as well as the program as a whole to explore how best to support health system capacity building in the context of our new strategic plan and evidence-based ecosystem needs.