Implementation Outcome Repository

Implementation science researchers at NIHR ARC South London and the University of East Anglia have developed a free online repository to help anyone implementing new ways of delivering healthcare to better understand and measure the outcomes of these changes.

This repository includes quantitative implementation outcome instruments that have been developed and validated for use in physical healthcare settings. The instruments were identified in a systematic review of the literature. The repository includes instruments that measure factors thought to influence implementation (e.g. the acceptability and feasibility of an intervention) and instruments that measure the effectiveness of implementation efforts (e.g. adoption, penetration). The repository will be updated regularly.

The repository currently includes 55 instruments, developed and validated in physical healthcare settings, measuring six core implementation outcomes included in the Implementation Outcome Taxonomy developed by Proctor et al – namely: acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, adoption, penetration, and sustainability. The developers applied Proctor et al.’s definitions of implementation outcomes to assess the eligibility of instruments, although constructs did not always fit neatly into the defined outcomes. Where the description of constructs fitted more than one of Proctor et al.’s implementation outcomes (e.g. acceptability and feasibility), the instrument was classified according to the predominant outcome at item level, determined through a detailed analysis and count of each instrument item (e.g. if an instrument contained 10 items assessing acceptability and two items assessing feasibility, the instruments was categorised as an acceptability instrument). Where instruments measured additional constructs outside of Proctor et al.’s taxonomy, the instrument was classified according to the predominant eligible implementation outcome assessed. Where a predominant outcome was not obvious, developers used the author’s own description of the instrument.

View the repository website.