ABSTRACT
There is a serious problem with the process of health and behavioral health research in the United States and around the world.
Important discoveries that could have a significant and positive impact on the health and well-being of children and families in the United States and around the world never make it into standards of care in the practice environment. Balas and Boren (2000) estimate that it takes an average of 17 years to move medical innovation and scientific discovery from its initial discovery to standard practice in communities, and even then only 14% of new scientific discoveries ever make it into routine use. A classic example of this is beta-blockers. Although the benefits have been established for more than 25 years, a recent study of its use in 234 hospitals across the United Stated found that a significant number of hospitals still do not routinely prescribe the medication following an acute myocardial infarction (AMI; Bradley et al., 2005; Howard & Ellerbeck, 2000; Westfall, Mold, & Fagnan, 2007).
