We have the program, what now? Development of an implementation plan to bridge the research-practice gap prevalent in exercise oncology

Abstract

Background Exercise has emerged as a promising therapy for people with cancer. Novel programs have been developed to translate research into practice; however, implementation barriers have limited their success in part because successful translation of exercise oncology research into practice requires context-specific implementation plans. The aim of this study was to employ the implementation mapping protocol to develop an implementation plan to support programming of a co-located exercise clinic and cancer treatment center. Methods The Implementation Mapping protocol, which consists of five specific iterative tasks, was used. A stakeholder advisory group advised throughout the process. Results A comprehensive needs assessment was used to identify the organization’s general manager as the program adopter; oncologists, center leaders, and various administrative staff as program implementers; and the operations manager as the program maintainer. Twenty performance objectives were identified. The theoretical domains framework was used to identify likely determinants of change, which informed the selection of eight individual implementation strategies across the individual and organizational levels. Finally, an evaluation plan was developed which will be used to measure the success of the implementation plan in the project’s next phase. Conclusion The Implementation Mapping protocol provided a roadmap to guide development of a comprehensive implementation plan that considered all ecological domains, was informed by theory, and demonstrated an extensive understanding of the implementation context. Strong research-practitioner partnerships and effective stakeholder engagement were critical to development of the plan.

Feasibility of Implementing Physical Activity Behavior Change Counseling in an Existing Cancer-Exercise Program

“…Findings from the current study suggest that despite positive feedback and support from cancer survivors and exercise program staff, further adaptations to PABCC sessions may be necessary for continued implementation in the current exercise program. Themes that emerged from the focus group with staff, such as a need for strong integration and collaboration between researcher, healthcare professional, and stakeholder for successful implementation, are also congruent with previous literature [ 22 , 23 ].…”

“…In conclusion, findings from this study highlight the challenges in implementing research-tested intervention strategies in real-world settings, and support the need for collaboration between researchers and practitioners across the translational research spectrum. Planning for and addressing contextual factors relevant to existing exercise programs when conducting theory-driven behavioral interventions may help narrow the research to practice gap in exercise oncology in order to promote long-term PA adherence among cancer survivors [ 23 ].…”

Bridging the research to practice gap: a systematic scoping review of implementation of interventions for cancer-related fatigue management

“…Efforts to sustainably implement evidenced-based CRF management strategies into routine clinical care are urgently needed, owing to the high incidence, prevalence, and burden of CRF in cancer survivors severely impacting health-related quality of life [ 1 ]. Despite established CRF management strategies [ 1 , 16 ], sustainable models of care connecting cancer survivors to effective CRF interventions have yet to be satisfactorily investigated [ 39 ]. Our systematic scoping review was able to identify only six studies evaluating the implementation of interventions designed for individuals experiencing CRF.…”

Bridging the Research to Practice Gap: A Systematic Scoping Review of Implementation of Interventions for Cancer-Related Fatigue Management

“…Efforts to sustainably implement evidenced-based CRF management strategies into routine clinical care are urgently needed, owing to the high incidence, prevalence and burden of CRF in cancer survivors severely impacting health-related quality of life [1]. Despite established CRF management strategies [1,16], sustainable models of care connecting cancer survivors to effective CRF interventions have yet to be satisfactorily investigated [42]. Indeed, our systematic scoping review was able to identify only six studies evaluating the implementation of interventions designed for individuals experiencing CRF, all of which had limited external validity and lacked methodological rigor (e.g.…”