Proceedings from the Second Annual Conference of the Norwegian Network for Implementation Research

Abstract

In 2019, Norwegian implementation researchers formed a network to promote implementation research and practice in the Norwegian context. On November 19th, 2021, the second annual Norwegian implementation conference was held in Oslo. Ninety participants from all regions of the country gathered to showcase the frontiers of Norwegian implementation research. The conference also hosted a panel discussion about critical next steps for implementation science in Norway. The conference included 17 presentations from diverse disciplines within health and welfare services, including schools. The themes presented included stakeholder engagement, implementation mechanisms, evaluations of the implementation of specific interventions, the use of implementation guidelines and frameworks, the development and validation of implementation measurements, and barriers and facilitators for implementation. The panel discussion highlighted several critical challenges with the implementation of evidence-informed practices in Norway, including limited implementation competence and capacity among practice leaders and workforces, few opportunities for education in implementation science, limited implementation research in the Norwegian context, scarce funding possibilities for implementation research, and a lack of long-term perspectives on implementation processes. Overall, the 2021 Norwegian implementation conference showed an encouraging sign of a maturing field of science in Norway. The more voluminous proceedings from the 2020 conference called for several important advancements to improve implementation science and practice in Norway, and the 2021 conference indicates that steps have already been taken in favorable directions in terms of, for instance, research designs and measurements. However, there are still unexploited potentials for improvements in implementation research, funding, policies, and practice. Norwegian implementation researcher should be mindful of the challenges and potential pitfalls implementation science currently face as a scientific discipline.