Implementation Science May Bridge Evidence-to-Practice Gaps in Infectious Disease Care
A diagnostic test's proven accuracy alone does not ensure it will be used in routine care. Andrea Prinzi, PhD, MPH, SM(ASCP), discusses how implementation science can help infectious disease and microbiology teams integrate evidence into practice. The approach may shape future research by addressing the gap between what is known and what is done.
A diagnostic test can perform well in studies, yet that evidence may not translate into everyday clinical use. The summary highlights this distinction: proven accuracy is not the same as routine adoption.
Andrea Prinzi, PhD, MPH, SM(ASCP), discusses implementation science as a way to help infectious disease and microbiology teams close that evidence-to-practice gap. The approach may also inform future research by focusing on the distance between what is known and what is done.
If implementation science helps infectious disease and microbiology teams adopt evidence-based diagnostics more consistently, patients could benefit from care that reflects proven tools. Clinicians and laboratories may face changes in workflows, training, and decision-making. Health systems could see more predictable use of tests, though the actual impact depends on how future research and local implementation efforts unfold. The story suggests a potential shift toward studying not only whether interventions work, but how they become routine practice.