Knowledge Translation and Its Course of Action of Implementation in Medical Universities of Iran: A Review

Knowledge translation is the sharing of knowledge obtained from research with knowledge users, including community members, organizations, and policymakers, to use it to improve systems and improve the provision of services and products. The implementation of the knowledge translation process in the health field is facing challenges in our country, which is partly because of insufficient knowledge about the concept of knowledge translation and how to implement the knowledge translation process. In the present study, the definition of knowledge translation, and how the process and tools of knowledge translation were discussed, and then, while reviewing the status of knowledge translation in Iranian universities of medical sciences, solutions for the implementation of knowledge translation were presented. Some of the mentioned knowledge translation tools in this study are podcasts, three-minute thesis presentations, webinars, infographics, research news from research results, press releases, journal clubs, policy briefs, and clinical guidelines. The situation of knowledge translation has been reported as inappropriate and incomplete in medical sciences universities of Iran. In these studies, the evaluation was done using the evaluation tool of knowledge translation, which included the four areas of audience needs assessment, knowledge production, knowledge transfer, and evidence application. According to the current situation of knowledge translation, the implementation solutions of knowledge translation in each field have been presented separately. Appropriate networking between knowledge producers and knowledge users, as well as holding regular meetings with representatives of executive organizations and industry owners to determine research priorities, are among the solutions presented in the audience needs assessment section. Creating the infrastructure to carry out research projects based on the needs of the audience, allocating the necessary resources for the implementation of research projects, active participation of representatives of executive organizations in the process of conducting research, creating an internal network between academic researchers to advance research priorities as much as possible, and also pay attention to the quality of knowledge production to gain the trust of the audience are the solutions provided in the knowledge production sector. Acquainting researchers with the field of knowledge transfer and its importance, allocating resources to implement the knowledge transfer process, using appropriate and up-to-date tools for knowledge transfer by researchers, and creating rules to support researchers who, before publishing their research findings in reputable journals, publish them through other means of knowledge transfer, institutionalizing the mechanisms of benefiting from the research achievements in the general education program, and also considering the incentive plans for the transfer of the produced knowledge are among the solutions presented in the knowledge transfer section. Producing valid and reliable evidence, placing produced evidence at the disposal of policymakers, building trust in the audience by researchers, policymakers, and relevant officials to use produced evidence, informing the audience about the need to use production evidence, creating appropriate communication between knowledge producers and knowledge users through the use of knowledge brokers, the existence of resources and financial support for the use of evidence by policymakers as well as target audiences are some of the solutions provided in the use of evidence section