Conditions for successful knowledge brokering in organizations

Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (2012). CHSRF’s Knowledge Brokering Program: A Review of Conditions and Context for Success. Ottawa, ON: CHSRF. Retrieved from: http://www.cfhi-fcass.ca/sf-docs/default-source/reports/KnowledgeBrokeringReview-EN.pdf

Description

This report from Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF) provides key learnings from the Knowledge Brokering Demonstration Site Program (2004-2007). The program provided funding for innovative pilot initiatives in knowledge brokering in six healthcare organizations. The report, CHSRF's Knowledge Brokering Program: A Review of Conditions and Context for Success, describes how knowledge brokers facilitated the use of research evidence in decision-making within healthcare organizations.

The Knowledge Brokering Program had two objectives:

  • To stimulate the development and implementation of structures, processes or people in organizations to link researchers with decision-makers and support their interactions; and
  • To increase the appropriate use of high-quality research evidence.

The impetus for funding this program is based on a national consultation and literature review conducted by CHSRF (2003), The Theory and Practice of Knowledge Brokering in Canada's Health System. A knowledge broker provides a link between researchers and end users to support the use of best available evidence in policy and practice decisions (Dobbins et al., 2009). A key aim of the Knowledge Brokering Program is to examine and test best practices in knowledge brokering.

The key impacts for four organizations that completed the program include:

  • continued use of a range of research dissemination strategies
  • two organizations retained a knowledge brokering position
  • increased use of evidence-based information by decision-makers

Steps for Using Method/Tool

While the implementation of knowledge brokering activities varied from pilot site to pilot site, five key conditions for success of knowledge brokering activities were identified:

  1. Solid leadership and commitment from senior management
  2. Dedicated resources
  3. Clear objectives, including good project management and evaluation
  4. Flexibility and variation in tools and approaches
  5. Persistent effort

These summaries are written by the NCCMT to condense and to provide an overview of the resources listed in the Registry of Methods and Tools and to give suggestions for their use in a public health context. For more information on individual methods and tools included in the review, please consult the authors/developers of the original resources.

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