Why Iowa

While implementation science is rapidly expanding, less attention has been paid to the uptake of evidence-based practices and the latest research in rural settings. The University of Iowa is well-situated to contribute to expanding implementation science into rural health because of its geographic location and the rural focus of many of its centers and institutes on campus.

For example, the University of Iowa has a long history of collaboration with the Iowa City VA Health Care System (VAHCS), which is committed to serving rural military veterans. Dr. Heather Reisinger, the ISC director, established the VA Office of Rural Health’s Center for the Evaluation of Enterprise-Wide Initiatives (CEEWI). CEEWI supports the evaluation of evidence-based practices as they are spread to rural settings across the VA. The Veteran Rural Health Resource Center (VRHRC) – Iowa City is also a central collaborative space for University of Iowa faculty working to promote the health and well-being of rural veterans. 

Science implementation can’t rely solely on the dissemination of information; it requires advocates. That’s why a goal of the UI Implementation Science Center is to recruit and train implementation practitioners. Fortunately, University of Iowa Health Care has a 30-year history of mentoring and training for evidence-based practice through the Iowa Model. In the past, the fields of evidence-based practice and implementation science have rarely intersected. We are making that happen now. With the opening of the Center, we now have the opportunity to build on the strengths and experiences of leveraging the Iowa Model in the field of implementation science and creating a pathway for implementation practitioners across healthcare.