Driving healthcare improvement through evidence-based systems thinking approaches and implementation research

Project Aim: This project aims to drive healthcare improvement in the context of women’s health through codesigned interventions and implementation plans, which will be tested for acceptability and feasibility. This will help develop implementation strategies and inform a roadmap for national scaleup. Context: Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (MCHRI) has expertise in implementation research applied in women’s health and various other healthcare contexts. The focus of the work is on how healthcare improvement programs are implemented in complex settings, using evidence-based implementation frameworks and theories. This project will include, for example, co-designing an implementation strategy for a pregnancy vaccine schedule that will involve consumers, maternity care providers, immunisation providers and other relevant stakeholders. Implementation Study Details This implementation project will focus on the codesign and implementation feasibility of an intervention with a view to scaling up nationally. The Learning Health Systems Approach (LHS) to complex change will underpin the initiative. We are offering a PhD opportunity for a domestic student to join our team and help drive this healthcare improvement project. Work on this project will involve: 1) Evidence Review of current frameworks in Australian healthcare improvement and how LHSs can work in this context. 2) Feasibility and acceptability testing of a co-designed pregnancy vaccine schedule. 3) Applying principles of co-design and implementation science to co-produce a national implementation strategy for the pregnancy vaccine schedule. The research will include working with diverse stakeholders including consumers and community partners, undertaking scoping reviews, surveys, semi-structured interviews, codesign workshops and coproduction of resources across Australia. This implementation research will drive acceptance and uptake of the intervention, at individual and system levels as well as generate evidence and resources based on core components of successful implementation to guide national scale-up and enhance impact. Skills in mixed methods and qualitative, evaluation and implementation research will be acquired as well as participatory research knowledge for planning, doing, and evaluating progress. The successful applicant will join a nationally leading multidisciplinary team with over 40 PhD students embedded in healthcare improvement and clinical care. Additional professional development is provided, along with strong collegiality and support.