Abstract
BackgroundLeadership is important in the implementation of innovation in business, health, and allied health care settings. Yet there is a need for empirically validated organizational interventions for coordinated leadership and organizational development strategies to facilitate effective evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation. This paper describes the initial feasibility, acceptability, and perceived utility of the Leadership and Organizational Change for Implementation (LOCI) intervention. A transdisciplinary team of investigators and community stakeholders worked together to develop and test a leadership and organizational strategy to promote effective leadership for implementing EBPs.MethodsParticipants were 12 mental health service team leaders and their staff (n = 100) from three different agencies that provide mental health services to children and families in California, USA. Supervisors were randomly assigned to the 6-month LOCI intervention or to a two-session leadership webinar control condition provided by a well-known leadership training organization. We utilized mixed methods with quantitative surveys and qualitative data collected via surveys and a focus group with LOCI trainees.ResultsQuantitative and qualitative analyses support the LOCI training and organizational strategy intervention in regard to feasibility, acceptability, and perceived utility, as well as impact on leader and supervisee-rated outcomes.ConclusionsThe LOCI leadership and organizational change for implementation intervention is a feasible and acceptable strategy that has utility to improve staff-rated leadership for EBP implementation. Further studies are needed to conduct rigorous tests of the proximal and distal impacts of LOCI on leader behaviors, implementation leadership, organizational context, and implementation outcomes. The results of this study suggest that LOCI may be a viable strategy to support organizations in preparing for the implementation and sustainment of EBP.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13012-014-0192-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Leadership is important in the implementation of innovation in business, health, and allied health care settings
We describe the results of a pilot study of the Leadership and Organizational Change for Implementation (LOCI) intervention, designed to improve leadership and organizational supports to facilitate the implementation and sustainment of evidence-based practice (EBP)
Leadership in general has been shown to support effective implementation [23,28,29,30,31,79], the LOCI intervention highlights specific strategies that leaders can use to improve the climate for implementation in their teams
Summary
Leadership is important in the implementation of innovation in business, health, and allied health care settings. There is a need for empirically validated organizational interventions for coordinated leadership and organizational development strategies to facilitate effective evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation. A transdisciplinary team of investigators and community stakeholders worked together to develop and test a leadership and organizational strategy to promote effective leadership for implementing EBPs. The implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) [1,2] is important for health and allied health organizations and providers [3]. First-level leaders are in a position to facilitate EBP implementation [9] and may often be promoted based on clinical expertise with little support or training in effective leadership of workplace change efforts such as EBP implementation. More positive first-level leadership is associated with more positive provider attitudes toward adopting EBPs [18]
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