Does the world need a scientific society for research on how to improve healthcare?

Implementation Science recently launched an editorial and web survey asking just this question and 201 readers responded. 93% supported a Society; 70% would become a member; 60% would attend meetings.

On the question of "Important or Very Important" roles for a society - 90% said to provide an international forum for scientific exchange; 88% said to promote and lobby for implementation science; 83% said to help researchers disseminate their findings; 71% said to announce training, development opportunities. 26% would favour a separate meeting, 46% would favour integrating with existing meetings.

Study protocols describe proposed or ongoing research, providing a detailed account of the hypothesis, rationale, and methodology of the study. The work described should have been funded through competitive external peer review and have appropriate ethics permissions. Systematic review protocols should be submitted to Systematic Reviews.

Martin Eccles

Martin Eccles is Co-Editor-in-Chief of Implementation Science along with Brian Mittman. They launched their journal with BioMed Central in February 2006.

Martin Eccles is Professor of Clinical Effectiveness and the William Leach Professor of Primary Care Research at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK where he runs the Clinical Effectiveness research programme. The overall aim of the programme is to improve patient outcomes through receiving appropriate healthcare and covers four areas: systematic reviews; hypothesis generating studies; hypothesis testing studies (usually randomised controlled trials of interventions to promote the uptake of research evidence into practice); and the exploration of theory relevant to this area, in order to better understand clinician behaviour and design interventions to promote change. He has published widely on implementation issues.

Martin Eccles
University of Newcastle upon Tyne