Academic Health Science Centres as Vehicles for Knowledge Mobilisation in Australia? A Qualitative Study

Translating, Contexting, and Institutionalising Knowledge Translation Practices in Northern Australia: Some Reflections Comment on "Sustaining Knowledge Translation Practices: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis"

In this commentary, we reflect on how the three processes of translating, contexting, and institutionalising knowledge translation (KT) practices, as introduced in a critical interpretive synthesis on sustaining KT, might be drawn on to improve KT sustainability in the northern Australian health system, and some likely challenges. The synthesis provides a useful reminder that health systems are social systems and offers an analytical framework against which to map approaches that aim to align knowledge production and utilisation. By positioning "places" of knowledge utilisation and actor roles and networks as key to KT sustainability, the framework also offers the potential to draw attention to non-clinical settings, actors, and relationships that are central to improving health, but that may be historically neglected in KT research and scholarship.

Design and implementation characteristics of research training for rural health professionals: a qualitative descriptive study

BACKGROUND

Research capacity and capability of rural health professionals is essential to the delivery of evidence-based care and for informing strategies to address rural health inequities. Effective implementation of research education and training is fundamental to building rural health professional research capacity and capability. A lack of overarching guidance to inform the delivery of research education and training in rural health services can contribute to gaps in capacity-building approaches. The aim of this study was to identify characteristics of the design and implementation of current research training for rural health professionals in Victoria, Australia, to inform a future model for rural health professional research capacity and capability building.

METHODS

A qualitative descriptive study was undertaken. Key informants, with extensive knowledge of research education and training in rural health services in Victoria, were invited to participate in semi-structured telephone interviews via snowballing recruitment methods. Interview transcripts were analysed inductively, with themes and codes mapped to the domains of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.

RESULTS

Of the 40 key informants approached, 20 agreed to participate including 11 regional health service managers, five rural health academics and four university managers. Participants suggested that research training varied in quality and relevance to rural health professionals. Training costs and lack of tailoring to the rural context were key barriers, whereas experiential learning and flexible modes of delivery enabled training uptake. Health service and government policies, structures, and processes both enabled or stifled implementation opportunities, with rural health professional networks from different regions offering capacity for research training development, and government departmental structures hampering training coordination. Tension between research activities and clinical practice, and health professional knowledge and beliefs, shaped the delivery of training programs. Strategically planned and evaluated research training programs and education via co-design with rural health professionals and use of research champions were strongly recommended by participants.

CONCLUSIONS

To optimise research training for rural health professionals and increase the quality and quantity of relevant rural health research, a systematically planned, implemented, and resourced region-wide research training model is required.

AHSCs as Health Policy Transfer: Some Emergent Evidence From Australia Comment on "Academic Health Science Centres as Vehicles for Knowledge Mobilisation in Australia? A Qualitative Study"

This commentary discusses Edelman et al 2020's recent exploratory study of the early development of 4 Academic Health Services Centres (AHSCs) in Australia. AHSCs were originally invented in the United States, but have then diffused to the United Kingdom and Canada over the last decade or so and now to Australia so they are a good example of health policy transfer. They are dedicated to advancing more speedy knowledge translation (KT)/mobilization ('from bench to bedside') and also the more effective commercialization of scientific inventions. The commentary argues some interesting if preliminary findings are identified in their study. Its limitations will also be considered. Finally, suggestions for future research are made, including more cross national and comparative studies.