Bridging policy research and implementation science

Beth McGinty, PhD, MS
Weill Cornell Medicine

ABSTRACT:
Policy implementation is a key but often-ignored aspect of policy effectiveness. Public policy research typically considers the effects of having versus not having a policy on outcomes, without considering whether and how the policy was implemented – even though the effects of policies on their intended outcome depend upon degree of implementation. Experimental approaches to studying policy dissemination and implementation are challenging, given that policies are difficult to randomly assign, but not impossible. Natural experiments in policy implementation abound, as states, localities, and organizations consider, adopt, and implement – with varying degrees of implementation success, and intensity – a range of policies over time. Rigorous nonexperimental methods for studying policy dissemination and implementation in these types of natural experiments are critical, but methodological advances are needed. This presentation will motivate the importance of studying policy implementation, provide examples of current approaches, and discuss promising future directions.

System-level Evidence Based Practice Implementation Research: Same questions, different method.

Rebecca Lengnick-Hall, PhD
Washington University in St. Louis

Gracelyn Cruden, PhD
Oregon Social Learning Center

ABSTRACT:
This presentation brings together two researchers with overlapping system-level implementation research interests. While we often ask the same research questions, our methodological and disciplinary differences allow us to answer these questions in different, but complementary ways. The shared line of inquiry questions 1) How are implementation processes affected by multi-level factors over time, and 2) how can implementation support tools be designed to support these complex implementation processes in a manner that is generalizable across contexts, implementation phases, and evidence-based practices (EBPs)?  In this presentation, we will each share an example of our work aimed at understanding the process of responding to evidence-based policy or practice initiatives across implementation phases, while highlighting the unique methodological approaches. Dr. Rebecca Lengnick-Hall will explain how contracting arrangements act as a “bridge” between the public sector systems that fund and the community-based organizations that deliver EBPs. Dr. Gracelyn Cruden will describe a decision support tool based in a multi-criteria decision analysis framework that was developed to support EBP adoption for local implementation. To conclude, we will explore specific ways that our different methodological perspectives have both informed and pushed the other’s research agenda forward. We hope to conclude this presentation by engaging the PSMG community in a discussion about the integration of system science and qualitative methods to understand system-level EBP implementation.