AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange Report on Scale Up and Spread Activities 2011

This report provides an overview of lessons learned from 2011 scale up and spread activities undertaken by the AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange (Innovations Exchange), including a panel on the topic at the 4th Annual National Institutes of Health Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in March 2011 and the AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange Round Table on Scale Up & Spread in May 2011.

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Topics of lessons learned include:

Differences between the roles of innovator and spreader;
Essential elements of the business case for spread;
The importance of engaging multiple stakeholders in spread;
Ways to assess readiness of innovations for spread;
The role of the innovator’s organization in spread;
Ways to assess readiness for adoption;
Adoption-related needs of providers for vulnerable populations; and
The development of the science of implementation and spread.

In addition, our activities identified the need for tools, training, and other support to speed implementation. Lastly, they also resulted in a range of suggestions for the Innovations Exchange itself, including enhancements to profile content and efforts that the Exchange could undertake to support spread.

Executive Summary
Background
Highlights of learning about scale up and spread
The role of the innovator is different from the role of the spreader
Make the business case for spread
Engage multiple stakeholders in spread
Innovation readiness for spread
The role of the innovator’s organization
Readiness of adopter organizations
Limited knowledge about the adoption-related needs of providers for underserved and vulnerable populations
Develop the science of implementation and spread

Tools and other processes needed to support scale up and spread
Tools for scale up and spread
Training and skill development

Suggestions for the AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange
Enhancements to the innovation profiles and Web site
Suggestions for other activities for the Innovations Exchange

Research recommendations
Research topics
Support for scholarly work on scale up and spread

Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C