Despite significant advances in clinical research, there remains a staggering 17- to 20-year gap between the introduction of clinical innovations and their widespread implementation, with less than 50% of these innovations ever becoming part of routine practice.​¹​ This delay not only hampers the potential benefits to patient care but also undermines the investment made in medical research.

Several factors contribute to the slow adoption of clinical innovations. Historically,the pace of biomedical research has outstripped society's capacity to absorb and implement new findings. Contextual factors, such as social, organisational,and policy contexts, also play significant roles.¹ Financial limitations and budget constraints within healthcare systems often slow the adoption process and can impede adoption of new technologies due to significant upfront costs, even when long-term savings are evident .¹ Regulatory requirements and policy frameworks further delay clinical innovations.Navigating these complex systems can be challenging, and policy changes are typically slow. Many healthcare settings also lack the necessary infrastructure, such as technology, staffing, or support systems, to effectively implement new treatments. Finally, educating and training healthcare providers in new innovations poses a significant barrier.Traditional education methods may not suffice, and reluctance to change established practices can cause delays. However, education providers can address these challenges by leveraging innovative methods to create dynamic programmes that accelerate the adoption of clinical innovations.

It is imperative that education providers develop programmes that offer clear,actionable skills that are easily applicable in clinical practice. By utilising novel educational design, such as high-fidelity medical simulations, remote teaching platforms, collaborative frameworks, and rapid evidence synthesis tools, learners can study a skill one day and apply it in practice the next. This generates “actionable knowledge”, which aids accelerated clinical practice adoption to improve patient outcomes.

TABLE. Summary of Educational Design Methods

High-fidelity medical simulations have been shown to significantly enhance learning outcomes and skill acquisition, leading to more effective clinical practice and quicker adoption of new treatments.² Recent research also highlights the importance of rapid evidence synthesis (RES) in facilitating the adoption of healthcare innovations.³ RES provides timely and contextually relevant evidence, enabling healthcare providers to make informed decisions more quickly and effectively. This approach helps bridge the gap between clinical research and practical application, ensuring that new treatments can be integrated into clinical practice more efficiently.³

Collaborative frameworks, such as those employed in rural medical training programs in Australia, emphasise stakeholder engagement and local solutions, which are critical for the successful integration of innovations into practice.⁴ Case-based learning, which uses real-life cases to teach clinical reasoning and decision-making skills, engages learners in critical thinking and the application of theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios, thereby improving problem-solving skills and clinical practice.⁵

Blended learning, which combines online digital media with traditional face-to-face classroom methods, provides flexibility and accessibility, leading to better retention and application of knowledge.⁶ Problem-based learning (PBL), which centres around solving open-ended problems, encourages self-directed learning and the application of knowledge to real-world situations, fostering deep understanding and practical skills.⁷

Peer-led learning, where students teach other students, promotes active learning and reinforces the instructor's teachings, enhancing understanding and retention through peer interaction and improving confidence and clinical skills application.⁸ Remote teaching platforms, which gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic, have proven effective in maintaining continuous education and adapting to new clinical practices, even under restrictive conditions.⁹

By leveraging these innovative educational strategies, education providers can significantly reduce the time lag between breakthroughs in clinical research and their application in healthcare settings, ultimately improving patient outcomes and maximising the benefits of medical research investment.

References

1. Bauer, M. S., & Kirchner, J. (2019). Implementation science: What is itand why should I care? PsychiatryResearch, 283, 112376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2019.04.025

2. Issenberg,S. B., McGaghie, W. C., Petrusa, E. R., Gordon, D. L., & Scalese, R. J.(2005). Features anduses of high-fidelity medical simulations that lead to effective learning: ABEME systematic review. Medical Teacher, 27(1), 10–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/01421590500046925

3. Poots, A. J., Devlin, A. M.,Rudge, G., & Adler, M. (2022). Rapid evidence synthesis to enableinnovation and adoption in health and social care. Systematic Reviews, 11(1),109. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-022-02106-z

4. Worley, P., & Kitto, S.(2017). Using a framework to implement large-scale innovation in medicaleducation with the intent of achieving sustainability. BMC Medical Education,17(1), 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-017-0857-7

5. Thistlethwaite, J. E., et al.(2012). The effectiveness of case-based learning in health professionaleducation. A BEME systematic review: BEME Guide No. 23. Medical Teacher, 34(6),e421-e444. https://doi.org/10.3109/0142159X.2012.680939

6. Means, B., et al. (2013). Theeffectiveness of online and blended learning: A meta-analysis of the empiricalliterature. Teachers College Record, 115(3), 1-47. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146811311500307

7. Hung, W., et al. (2008).Problem-based learning: A learning environment for enhancing learning transfer.New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2008(118), 21-29. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.20042

8. Secomb, J. (2008). A systematicreview of peer teaching and learning in clinical education. Journal of ClinicalNursing, 17(6), 703-716. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2007.01954.x

9.  Kameg,K., Kaufmann, J., Cline, T., & Kameg, B. (2022). Incorporation of child &adolescent mental health standardized patient simulations to provideinterprofessional education for graduate students. Issues in Mental HealthNursing. 43(9), 818-823. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2022.2072031

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