Topics for implementation research: Implementation researchers’ and practitioners’ views in The Netherlands

Background: In recent years, implementation research has gained a renewed attention in the Netherlands. However, limited national funding for implementation research has mainly resulted in case- and context-specific descriptive data. To help prioritize research that holds high scientific value and practical relevance, this study aimed to identify gaps in both implementation science and implementation practice. Methods: A two-stage study was conducted combining multiple methods to collect data from implementation researchers working in the healthcare sector in the Netherlands. A two-round e-Delphi study was employed to identify research priorities amongst implementation researchers. In addition, a survey was conducted with practitioners to identify implementation knowledge gaps and needs in implementation practice. Results: Twenty-six (55%) of the 47 invited researchers participated in Round 1 of the e-Delphi, leading to the identification of 31 research topics categorized into 7 themes. In Round 2, 22 of the 26 researchers (85%) completed the process, reaching consensus on 12 topics. These topics were grouped into six themes and linked to four areas of research: implementation, sustainability, scale-up, and de-implementation. The themes include: (1) understanding determinants, (2) matching strategies to determinants, (3) implementation strategies, (4) measuring implementation outcomes, (5) theories, models and frameworks, and (6) research designs. The survey of 74 practitioners revealed 230 implementation knowledge gaps, which were then triangulated with the e-Delphi results, highlighting specific research topics that emphasize implementation capacity and the need for pragmatic tools to enhance evidence-based implementation in practice. Conclusions: By integrating insights from both implementation researchers and practitioners, the research agenda addresses topics that are relevant to both fields. Recommendations were made to advance the scientific field and improve implementation practice. This research agenda can guide research coordination and policymaking, aiming to consolidate research efforts in the Netherlands.