Accelerating the Adoption of Best Practice Research in Resuscitation Through Implementation Science: Identifying Gaps and Pathways

TL;DR

This paper explores how to speed up the use of proven resuscitation practices in healthcare by using implementation science to address real-world barriers.

Contribution

The paper introduces a comprehensive outcomes framework and a decision-oriented table for pilot testing to guide the adoption of resuscitation protocols.

Findings

The KTA framework is applied to resuscitation to identify and address barriers like dispatcher workload and resource constraints.

A detailed outcomes framework is introduced, covering implementation, system, and patient-level metrics.

Case examples demonstrate practical applications, such as DA-CPR and real-time feedback devices.

Abstract

Translation of evidence-based resuscitation practices into clinical settings remains slow and inconsistent, a gap that significantly impacts survival and neurological outcomes. Implementation science offers a structured approach to accelerate adoption by identifying context-specific barriers—such as dispatcher workload, team choreography, and resource constraints—and tailoring strategies to overcome them. This paper applies the Knowledge-to-Action (KTA) framework to resuscitation, emphasizing stakeholder engagement, iterative monitoring, and sustainability. We provide detailed guidance across key resuscitation settings, including dispatch-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DA-CPR), in-hospital code teams, and emergency medical services (EMS). The manuscript introduces a comprehensive outcomes framework encompassing implementation, service/system, and patient-level metrics, and illustrates practical application through case examples such as DA-CPR and real-time feedback devices. To enhance scientific utility, we also present a decision-oriented table for pilot testing, offering healthcare institutions a roadmap for sustainable integration of evidence-based resuscitation protocols.

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