Developing a sustainability readiness strategy for health systems: Toolkit, interactive tools, and virtual support system

Abstract

While the literature strongly supports the need for sustainability of evidence-based interventions (EBIs), we present a review of the literature that indicates only three articles discuss a health-focused sustainability strategy. The aims of our sustainability readiness strategy (SRS) are to increase infrastructure capacity and EBI advocacy to impact the level of sustainability readiness. In this article, we describe the development of an evidence-informed promising practice sustainability readiness strategy (SRS) with three evidence-based components. This strategy: 1) is based on an adaptation of the Getting To Outcomes® (GTO) evidence-based implementation process, 2) includes a logic model with documented evidence of the connection between targeted readiness factors and sustainability outcomes, and 3) describes resources considered necessary to support implementation of the readiness strategy, namely a step-by-step Toolkit, Excel™ Tools, webinar coaching and evaluation guides, and a coaching and evaluation training guide. The national SRS survey results are presented. Lessons learned and future dissemination and implementation plans are described.