The contribution of a knowledge exchange organisation in primary healthcare.

BACKGROUND The use of relevant quality research and evidence to inform policy and practice is complex, takes time and requires skill. Over the past 20 years, a knowledge exchange organisation (the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service [PHCRIS]) has developed, implemented and evaluated ways to accelerate the use of research and evidence to strengthen Australian primary healthcare and thereby enhance health. OBJECTIVE This paper outlines how PHCRIS operates to accelerate the use of research and evidence in primary healthcare policy and practice. DISCUSSION PHCRIS takes an integrated approach to accelerate the use of research and evidence in primary healthcare by sharing information, research and evidence; summarising and synthesising research; building capacity; and facilitating knowledge exchange. Resources developed to support this approach have a strong emphasis on access, quality, relevance and timeliness. The success of the approach has been achieved through respectful and effective engagement with stakeholders, extensive use of technologies and continuous quality improvement.

[1]  A. Ritter.  How do drug policy makers access research evidence? , 2009, The International journal on drug policy.

[2]  S. Nixon,et al.  Applying the principles of knowledge translation and exchange to inform dissemination of HIV survey results to adolescent participants in South Africa. , 2013, Health promotion international.

[3]  S. Straus,et al.  Lost in knowledge translation: Time for a map? , 2006, The Journal of continuing education in the health professions.

[4]  Gavin Bennett,et al.  The Knowledge Translation Toolkit: Bridging the Know-Do Gap: A Resource for Researchers , 2011 .

[5]  Adalsteinn D. Brown,et al.  Research and advice giving: a functional view of evidence-informed policy advice in a Canadian Ministry of Health. , 2009, The Milbank quarterly.

[6]  J. Lavis,et al.  How can research organizations more effectively transfer research knowledge to decision makers? , 2003, The Milbank quarterly.

[7]  Lisa A Bero,et al.  "Developing good taste in evidence": facilitators of and hindrances to evidence-informed health policymaking in state government. , 2008, The Milbank quarterly.

[8]  Peter McInnes,et al.  Increasing the influence of one's research on policy. , 2013, Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association.

[9]  Vicky Ward,et al.  Exploring knowledge exchange: a useful framework for practice and policy. , 2012, Social Science & Medicine (1967).

[10]  J. Lavis.  Research, public policymaking, and knowledge‐translation processes: Canadian efforts to build bridges , 2006, The Journal of continuing education in the health professions.

[11]  Michelle L Gagnon,et al.  Moving knowledge to action through dissemination and exchange. , 2011, Journal of clinical epidemiology.

[12]  P. Glasziou.  The Role of Open Access in Reducing Waste in Medical Research , 2014, PLoS medicine.