Implementing evidence-based interventions in health care: application of the replicating effective programs framework

TLDR

The CDC Replicating Effective Programs (REP) project pioneered systematic strategies to prepare HIV interventions for dissemination, and its key components—intervention packaging, training, technical assistance, and fidelity assessment—are essential for implementing effective health‑care interventions. The article presents the REP framework and an implementation protocol for preparing effective health‑services interventions in community‑based settings, and calls for developing and testing strategies to sustain REP as a tool for health‑care implementation. The REP framework comprises four phases—pre‑conditions, pre‑implementation, implementation, and maintenance/evolution—guiding the preparation, packaging, dissemination, training, technical assistance, evaluation, and sustainability of health‑services interventions. REP is well suited for implementing health‑care interventions, specifying steps to maximize fidelity while permitting local customization to enhance transferability.

Abstract

We describe the use of a conceptual framework and implementation protocol to prepare effective health services interventions for implementation in community-based (i.e., non-academic-affiliated) settings. The framework is based on the experiences of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Replicating Effective Programs (REP) project, which has been at the forefront of developing systematic and effective strategies to prepare HIV interventions for dissemination. This article describes the REP framework, and how it can be applied to implement clinical and health services interventions in community-based organizations. REP consists of four phases: pre-conditions (e.g., identifying need, target population, and suitable intervention), pre-implementation (e.g., intervention packaging and community input), implementation (e.g., package dissemination, training, technical assistance, and evaluation), and maintenance and evolution (e.g., preparing the intervention for sustainability). Key components of REP, including intervention packaging, training, technical assistance, and fidelity assessment are crucial to the implementation of effective interventions in health care. REP is a well-suited framework for implementing health care interventions, as it specifies steps needed to maximize fidelity while allowing opportunities for flexibility (i.e., local customizing) to maximize transferability. Strategies that foster the sustainability of REP as a tool to implement effective health care interventions need to be developed and tested.