The UTHealth Houston Institute for Implementation Science is engaged in several key research initiatives aimed at enhancing health outcomes through effective implementation strategies:
LISTOS for Cancer Control Center
LISTOS for Cancer Control (Leveraging Implementation Science To Operationalize Strategies for Cancer Control) is a collaborative research center that aims to advance global implementation science in cancer control in Mexico and Latin America. The goal of this center is to bolster research capacity for implementation science and to facilitate research that identifies, comprehends, and overcomes obstacles to the adoption, adaptation, integration, dissemination, and sustainability of evidence-based cancer control interventions in low- and middle-income countries.
Multiple Sclerosis Implementation Network (MSIN)
The Multiple Sclerosis Implementation Network (MSIN) is a patient-driven, practice-based research network and learning collaborative of multiple sclerosis (MS) researchers and clinicians. The goal of the network, which includes partners at the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA), the UT Austin Dell Medical School, and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, is to advance MS research and care across the United States.
Implementation of Consensus Treatment Plans (CTPs) with the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA)
The Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) is a pediatric rheumatology research network that developed Consensus Treatment Plans (CTPs) to streamline treatment approaches to rare diseases to facilitate Comparative Effectiveness Research. In collaboration with the CARRA CTP Taskforce, we used Implementation Mapping to develop a suite of implementation strategies to increase adoption and implementation of Consensus Treatment Plans (CTPs) at CARRA-affiliated sites that is being pilot tested at a set of CARRA-affiliated sites.
Salud en Mis Manos Dissemination and Implementation Assistance (SEMM-DIA)
Salud en Mis Manos (SEMM) is an evidence-based community health worker (CHW) delivered breast and cervical (B&C) education and navigation program for vulnerable Latinas. To support safety-net clinic implementation and maintenance of SEMM, we used Implementation Mapping (ImpM) to develop the SEMM-Dissemination and Implementation Assistance (SEMM-DIA) implementation strategy. SEMM-DIA is an implementation support system that includes a set of implementation strategies to facilitate program implementation and maintenance.
Improving the Health of Americans through Prevention and Management of Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke
The goal of this effort is to improve the healthcare system's ability to identify patients at risk for developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Specifically, this includes identifying and developing an intervention for patient populations who have either pre-diabetes or uncontrolled hypertension, treatment, and management of patients with diabetes, heart disease, and associated risk factors.
Implementation of Evidence-based Interventions to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening in Texas Federally Qualified Health Centers
This program aims to increase colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) by supporting community health centers—specifically Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)—in using proven strategies from The Community Guide that work in real-world settings. The focus is on helping these centers adopt and maintain effective evidence-based interventions (EBIs) to reduce colorectal cancer and related health differences among African American and Hispanic communities in both rural and urban areas of Texas.
Project CASCADE
CASCADE (Community and Academic Synergy for Cancer Survivorship Care Delivery Enhancement) is a multi-site quality improvement project that applies implementation science methods to strengthen survivorship care delivery in community health centers (CHCs). Funded by the National Cancer Institute, CASCADE partners with CHC teams to co-design sustainable workflows and tools—guided by implementation mapping—to improve identification, tracking, and coordination of care for patients with a history of cancer. The project’s goal is to develop a scalable, evidence-based model that supports high-quality survivorship care in primary care settings.