ABSTRACT
Implementation science has been conceived as an applied health science, interested in comprehensively identifying and addressing barriers to systematic application of best healthcare delivery-related evidence to clinical practice and policymaking. In this essay, we argue that the field is showing early signs of a developing gap between implementation theory and the development and application of practical solutions and interventions to implementation challenges. We note the proliferation of theories within the field of implementation science and an emerging parallel literature (and community) around implementation practice and related skills. We observe the presence of parallels in other fields, such as those of improvement science and organizational psychology, where theory-practice gaps have long been debated. We conclude with examples of recent research and development work that we have undertaken with the goal of engaging both colleagues who mostly lead implementation at the “coalface” of healthcare systems and those who study such implementation efforts. Our ambition is to engage in dialogue and debate about the direction and added value of the field both as a scientific endeavour and as a means to directly and rapidly improve care delivery, experience, and outcomes.
