Aims & Scope
Implementation Science (JIS) publishes research on the systematic adoption, integration, and sustainability of evidence-based interventions in healthcare systems, public health programs, and health policy contexts. We focus on implementation strategies, frameworks, and outcomes that advance the translation of research into practice at organizational and systems levels.
Implementation Strategies
Health Systems Research
Quality Improvement
Health Informatics
Policy Implementation
Healthcare Delivery
We do NOT consider: Clinical treatment protocols, individual patient care studies, diagnostic methods, or therapeutic interventions without systems-level implementation focus.
Core Research Domains
Implementation Strategies & Frameworks
- Dissemination and implementation frameworks (CFIR, RE-AIM, PRISM)
- Knowledge translation approaches and methodologies
- Implementation strategy design and evaluation
- Adaptation and tailoring of evidence-based interventions
- Implementation fidelity assessment and monitoring
- Sustainability and scale-up strategies
Typical fit: A study evaluating the effectiveness of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) in guiding the adoption of clinical practice guidelines across multiple hospital systems, examining organizational readiness and contextual factors.
Health Systems & Organizational Implementation
- Healthcare delivery system redesign and optimization
- Organizational change management in health settings
- Quality improvement initiatives and program evaluation
- Health system capacity building and development
- Implementation in diverse healthcare contexts (low-resource, rural, urban)
- Barriers and facilitators to organizational adoption
Typical fit: Research examining organizational factors influencing the successful implementation of a patient safety program across a regional health network, including leadership engagement, resource allocation, and staff training protocols.
Health Informatics & Digital Health Implementation
- Electronic health record (EHR/EMR) implementation and optimization
- Health information technology adoption and integration
- Digital health intervention deployment and evaluation
- Clinical decision support system implementation
- Telehealth and remote care program implementation
- Data infrastructure and interoperability challenges
Typical fit: A mixed-methods study analyzing the implementation process of an EHR system in primary care clinics, examining workflow disruptions, user acceptance, training effectiveness, and impact on care coordination.
Policy Implementation & Public Health Programs
- Health policy translation into practice
- Public health program implementation and evaluation
- Guideline implementation in clinical and community settings
- Population health intervention deployment
- Multi-level implementation strategies (policy to practice)
- Implementation outcomes measurement and reporting
Typical fit: An evaluation of a state-level tobacco control policy implementation, examining reach, adoption, and maintenance across diverse communities, with analysis of contextual factors affecting program fidelity.
Secondary Focus Areas
Implementation Methodologies
- Mixed-methods implementation research designs
- Pragmatic trials and hybrid effectiveness-implementation studies
- Process evaluation methodologies
- Implementation outcome measurement tools
- Cost-effectiveness analysis of implementation strategies
- Participatory implementation research approaches
Context & Stakeholder Engagement
- Contextual analysis and environmental scanning
- Stakeholder engagement strategies in implementation
- Community-based participatory implementation
- Cultural adaptation of interventions
- Implementation in low- and middle-income countries
- Health equity considerations in implementation
Implementation Outcomes Research
- Reach, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM) evaluation
- Acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility assessment
- Penetration and sustainability measurement
- Implementation cost analysis
- Long-term implementation outcome tracking
- Comparative effectiveness of implementation strategies
Capacity Building & Training
- Implementation science training programs and curricula
- Workforce development for implementation practice
- Technical assistance models for implementation support
- Learning health systems and continuous improvement
- Implementation facilitation and coaching strategies
- Organizational capacity assessment tools
Emerging Areas (Selective Consideration)
- Artificial intelligence applications in implementation science
- Machine learning for implementation prediction and optimization
- Precision implementation approaches
- Implementation science in pandemic response
- Climate change and environmental health implementation
- Social determinants of health implementation strategies
- Blockchain and distributed ledger technologies in health systems
- Virtual reality and simulation for implementation training
Note: Submissions in emerging areas undergo additional editorial review to ensure strong implementation science focus and methodological rigor. Authors should clearly articulate the systems-level implementation contribution.
Out of Scope (Not Considered)
- Clinical Treatment Studies: Research focused solely on clinical efficacy, therapeutic protocols, or patient-level treatment outcomes without systems implementation analysis. Rationale: These belong in clinical specialty journals.
- Diagnostic Method Development: Studies developing or validating diagnostic tests, biomarkers, or screening tools without implementation in healthcare systems context. Rationale: Focus on diagnostic accuracy rather than systems adoption.
- Basic Science & Preclinical Research: Laboratory studies, animal models, molecular mechanisms, or drug discovery without connection to implementation in practice settings. Rationale: Outside health services research scope.
- Individual Patient Care Reports: Case reports, case series, or small-scale clinical observations without systems-level implementation insights. Rationale: Insufficient generalizability for implementation science.
- Opinion Pieces Without Data: Commentaries, editorials, or perspective pieces lacking empirical data, systematic analysis, or rigorous implementation framework application. Rationale: Preference for evidence-based contributions.
Article Types & Editorial Priorities
Priority 1: Fast-Track
Expedited Review
- Original Research Articles
- Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
- Implementation Methods Papers
- Pragmatic Trials
- Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Studies
Priority 2: Standard Review
Regular Processing
- Short Communications
- Implementation Data Notes
- Study Protocols
- Replication Studies
- Implementation Perspectives (data-driven)
Priority 3: Selective
Rarely Considered
- Case Reports (must have exceptional implementation insights)
- Opinion Pieces (by invitation only)
- Letters to Editor
- Book Reviews
Editorial Standards & Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
All submissions must adhere to appropriate reporting standards:
StaRI
CONSORT
STROBE
PRISMA
COREQ
TIDieR
Data Transparency
Authors must provide data availability statements. We encourage data sharing through recognized repositories. De-identified implementation data, protocols, and analysis code should be made available when possible, consistent with ethical approvals and privacy regulations.
Ethics & Compliance
All research must have appropriate ethical approval from institutional review boards or ethics committees. Studies involving human participants must include informed consent procedures. Implementation research in healthcare settings requires documented organizational approvals.
Preprint Policy
We welcome submissions previously posted as preprints on recognized servers (medRxiv, SSRN, OSF Preprints). Authors must disclose preprint posting and update preprint records with publication information upon acceptance.
Decision Metrics & Author Information
21 days
Average Time to First Decision
42%
Acceptance Rate
45 days
Time to Publication (post-acceptance)
Open
Article Processing Charges (APC varies)
