Postgraduate Course: Implementation science: putting evidence-based interventions into practice (HEIN11056)
Course Outline
| School | Deanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences |
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | For optimal health and care delivery, we need to embed quality improvement as a key element. Implementation science is the study of theories and methods to promote the systematic integration of real-world evidence into health and social care policy and practice. Implementation studies assess the impact of data-driven innovation and address the barriers that slow its uptake of evidence-based interventions, tools, policies, and guidelines that improve the quality and efficiency of health, social and care services and improve outcomes for service users. The course aims to equip students with the skills to appraise and integrate data-driven innovation implementation theories, models, frameworks and strategies to develop systematic theory-informed approaches for achieving evidence-based data-driven innovation and technical change in the health, social and care context.
This course is ideal for students from health and social or computational backgrounds and researchers looking to develop expertise in implementation science and improve the quality and effectiveness of health services.
No prior knowledge of health, social and care services nor implementation science is required. |
| Course description |
The translation of evidence-based interventions, tools, policies, and guidelines into practice is slow. Implementation science is the study of the methods to promote the uptake of evidence-based change into routine practice to improve the innovativeness, quality and effectiveness of care services. The gaps between knowledge and practice are well documented, and a wide range of implementation science theories, models, frameworks, and strategies are available to reduce knowledge to practice gaps. In order to optimise their impact, implementation methods must be tailored to the target population, setting and desired health and welfare, service, organisational or policy outcomes.
The course will first introduce implementation science, barriers to successful implementation and how implementation science can be used to improve the innovativeness, quality and effectiveness of health, social and care services. The course then will then focus on the four implementation stages: 1) needs assessment for implementation: developing a clear strategy and vision and stakeholder engagement; 2) preparation: getting ready for change; 3) implementation: building knowledge, understanding and confidence; and finally 4) evaluation of outcomes: monitor and review progress. In this course, students will have the opportunity to work in groups and independently on their course assessment to critically reflect on and appraise and integrate implementation theories, models and frameworks to develop a strategy for achieving evidence-based/evidence-informed change within the health and social care context.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Flexible |
| Course Start Date |
28/10/2024 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 5,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 1,
Online Activities 35,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 5,
Formative Assessment Hours 5,
Revision Session Hours 1,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
46 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 % |
| Feedback |
Formative feedback will be provided throughout the course, for example, during live question and answer sessions, quizzes, and discussion boards. A formative task will also be offered before students submit their summative assessed coursework. All assignments will be marked, and feedback provided. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate and apply a critical and reflective understanding of implementation science theories, models and frameworks and the barriers to implementing evidence-based change.
- Apply logical, analytical and problem-solving skills to critically appraise, reflect on and integrate implementation theories, models and frameworks to develop an effective approach for achieving evidence-based change and evaluating the implementation process and outcomes.
- Effectively communicate about implementation science and evidence-based change with stakeholders, peers, more senior colleagues, and specialists within the local and broader health, social and care service sectors.
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Reading List
| A reading list will be provided on the course virtual learning environment. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Mindsets:
Enquiry and lifelong learning
Students on this course will be encouraged to seek out ways to develop their implementation science expertise. They will also be encouraged to strive for excellence in their professional practice and to use established and developed approaches to resolve implementation issues as they arise in their practice.
Aspiration and personal development
Students will be encouraged to draw on the quality, depth and breadth of their experiences to expand their potential and identify areas they wish to develop and grow. Students will also be encouraged to understand their responsibility within and contribute positively, ethically and respectfully to the academic community while acknowledging that different students and community members will have other priorities and goals.
Outlook and engagement
Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning. Students will be asked to use their initiative and experience, often explicitly relating to their professional, educational, geographical or cultural context to engage with and enhance the learning of students from the diverse communities on the programme. Students will also be asked to reflect on the experience of their peers and identify opportunities to enhance their learning.
Skills:
Research and enquiry
Students will use self-reflection to seek out learning opportunities. Students will also use the newly acquired knowledge and critical assessment to identify and creatively tackle problems and assimilate the findings of primary research and peer knowledge in their arguments, discussions and assessments.
Personal and intellectual autonomy
Students will be encouraged to use their personal and intellectual autonomy to critically evaluate learning materials and exercises. Students will be supported through their active participation in self-directed learning, discussion boards and collaborative activities to critically evaluate concepts, evidence and experiences of peers and superiors from an open-minded and reasoned perspective.
Personal effectiveness
Students will need to be effective and proactive learners that can articulate what they have learned, and have an awareness of their strengths and limitations, and a commitment to learning and reflection to complete this course successfully.
Communication
Effective implementation scientists require excellent oral and written communication, presentation and interpersonal skills. The structure of the interactive (problem-based learning examples, discussion boards and collaborative activities) and assessment elements incorporate constant reinforcement and development of these skills.
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| Keywords | implementation science,evidence-based interventions,health and social care services |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Miss Michelle Evans
Tel: (0131 6)51 5440.
Email: michelle.evans@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Abbi Thomson
Tel:
Email: athoms6@ed.ac.uk |
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