Implementation and Sustainment Facilitation

Overview of the Research

Implementation science offers systematic approaches to addressing barriers that occur at multiple levels of care (system, organizational, and individual) impacting the delivery of care across multiple healthcare organizations. While multiple effective implementation strategies have been identified, the use of an external facilitator or coach is a cost effective and proven implementation strategy is associated with improved implementation effectiveness; access to medications; the adoption of evidence-based prevention programs; and organizational co-occurring capacity.

Implementation and Sustainment facilitation (ISF) involves scheduled and structured interactions between a coach with specific expertise and a variety of staff members who work within a healthcare setting. Efforts to better understanding coaching is especially important in the field of implementation research given the context of organizational change and its multifaceted nature. Our projects are significant because they seek to better understand the application of ISF in different healthcare settings and its impact on process and clinical outcomes.