The importance of early engagement of decision-makers when setting priorities and conducting HSR reviews was the key message highlighted in a presentation by Dr Etienne Langlois (Alliance) at the 8th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health held 14-15 December in Washington, DC.
This finding comes following several Alliance investments in models and strategies for evidence synthesis and evidence uptake, including systematic review centres, priority setting exercises, and leadership development for enhanced decision-making, made over the years.
In the afternoon session entitled “Rapid, Rigorous and Efficient? A global perspective on whether systematic reviews can be responsive to policymaker needs without sacrificing quality”, Dr Langlois shared lessons from the Alliance’s portfolio on health systems research synthesis and the impact of the Alliance-supported systematic review centers in low- and middle-income settings. In addition, he discussed recommendations to advance the field of health systems research, including the expansion of a range of study designs to be included in reviews of health systems interventions and reforms.
The conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health, co-hosted by the National Institutes of Health and AcademyHealth, was well attended by researchers, decision-makers, policy-makers, and practitioners with an interest in integrating evidence-based practice and service delivery to improve both healthcare delivery and population health in the US and globally.
For more information, contact Etienne Langlois (langloise@who.int).