Accelerating innovation: implementation science as a cornerstone of high-performance Swiss research infrastructures

Sabina M.  De Geest; Christina Akre; Carole E. Aubert; Peter Brauchli; Thekla Brunkert; Suzanne Dhaini; Jörg Goldhahn; Cedric Mabire; Carla Meyer-Massetti; Juliane Mielke; Marie Schneider; Jürg Utzinger; Kaspar Wyss; Lauren Clack

doi:10.57187/s.4501

Viewpoint

Vol. 155 No. 10 (2025)

Accelerating innovation: implementation science as a cornerstone of high-performance Swiss research infrastructures

Cite this as:: Swiss Med Wkly. 2025;155:4501
Published: 16.10.2025

Summary

Switzerland invests substantially in research, yet many innovations fail to reach routine healthcare. This paper argues that embedding implementation science into national research infrastructures is key to closing this gap, reducing research waste and accelerating translation into practice. By strengthening initiatives such as IMPACT and national funding programmes, Switzerland can ensure its innovations deliver timely, sustainable benefits for patients and society.

References

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2. De Geest S, Zúñiga F, Brunkert T, Deschodt M, Zullig LL, Wyss K, et al. Powering Swiss health care for the future: implementation science to bridge “the valley of death”. Swiss Med Wkly. 2020 Sep;150(3738):w20323. 10.4414/smw.2020.20323
3. Khan S, Chambers D, Neta G. Revisiting time to translation: implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in cancer control. Cancer Causes Control. 2021 Mar;32(3):221–30. 10.1007/s10552-020-01376-z
4. Chalmers I, Glasziou P. Avoidable waste in the production and reporting of research evidence. Lancet. 2009 Jul;374(9683):86–9. 10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60329-9
5. Mumtaz H, Riaz MH, Wajid H, Saqib M, Zeeshan MH, Khan SE, et al. Current challenges and potential solutions to the use of digital health technologies in evidence generation: a narrative review. Front Digit Health. 2023 Sep;5:1203945. 10.3389/fdgth.2023.1203945
6. Shrank WH, Rogstad TL, Parekh N. Waste in the US Health Care System: Estimated Costs and Potential for Savings. JAMA. 2019 Oct;322(15):1501–9. 10.1001/jama.2019.13978
7. Eccles MP, Mittman BS. Welcome to Implementation Science. Implement Sci. 2006 Feb;1(1):1. 10.1186/1748-5908-1-1
8. Proctor EK, Geng E. A new lane for science. Science. 2021 Nov;374(6568):659–659. 10.1126/science.abn0184
9. State Secretariat for Education. Research and Innovation (SERI) [Internet]. Swiss Roadmap for Research Infrastructures; 2023 [cited 2025 Jul 10]. Available from: https://backend.sbfi.admin.ch/fileservice/sdweb-docs-prod-sbfitestch-files/files/2025/05/08/9d0d7110-f2ce-4ad4-968a-cf3745f7f511.pdf
10. Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) [Internet]. Implementation Networks: first four projects selected; 2023 [cited 2025 Mar 13]. Available from: https://www.snf.ch/en/lVTVSZHVZNuY1VwP/news/implementation-networks-first-four-projects-selected

How to Cite

1.

Accelerating innovation: implementation science as a cornerstone of high-performance Swiss research infrastructures. Swiss Med Wkly [Internet]. 2025 Oct. 16 [cited 2025 Oct. 17];155(10):4501. Available from: https://smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/4501

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DOI:: https://doi.org/10.57187/s.4501

[1] 1. Swiss Federal Authorities [Internet]. Federal Statistical Office: Almost CHF 25 billion dedicated to research in Switzerland in 2021; 2023 [cited 2025 Mar 13]. Available from https://www.bfs.admin.ch/asset/en/24368697

[2] 2. De Geest S, Zúñiga F, Brunkert T, Deschodt M, Zullig LL, Wyss K, et al. Powering Swiss health care for the future: implementation science to bridge “the valley of death”. Swiss Med Wkly. 2020 Sep;150(3738):w20323. 10.4414/smw.2020.20323

[3] 3. Khan S, Chambers D, Neta G. Revisiting time to translation: implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in cancer control. Cancer Causes Control. 2021 Mar;32(3):221–30. 10.1007/s10552-020-01376-z

[4] 4. Chalmers I, Glasziou P. Avoidable waste in the production and reporting of research evidence. Lancet. 2009 Jul;374(9683):86–9. 10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60329-9

[5] 5. Mumtaz H, Riaz MH, Wajid H, Saqib M, Zeeshan MH, Khan SE, et al. Current challenges and potential solutions to the use of digital health technologies in evidence generation: a narrative review. Front Digit Health. 2023 Sep;5:1203945. 10.3389/fdgth.2023.1203945

[6] 6. Shrank WH, Rogstad TL, Parekh N. Waste in the US Health Care System: Estimated Costs and Potential for Savings. JAMA. 2019 Oct;322(15):1501–9. 10.1001/jama.2019.13978

[7] 7. Eccles MP, Mittman BS. Welcome to Implementation Science. Implement Sci. 2006 Feb;1(1):1. 10.1186/1748-5908-1-1

[8] 8. Proctor EK, Geng E. A new lane for science. Science. 2021 Nov;374(6568):659–659. 10.1126/science.abn0184

[9] 9. State Secretariat for Education. Research and Innovation (SERI) [Internet]. Swiss Roadmap for Research Infrastructures; 2023 [cited 2025 Jul 10]. Available from: https://backend.sbfi.admin.ch/fileservice/sdweb-docs-prod-sbfitestch-files/files/2025/05/08/9d0d7110-f2ce-4ad4-968a-cf3745f7f511.pdf

[10] 10. Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) [Internet]. Implementation Networks: first four projects selected; 2023 [cited 2025 Mar 13]. Available from: https://www.snf.ch/en/lVTVSZHVZNuY1VwP/news/implementation-networks-first-four-projects-selected