What is research translation?

Research translation is the process of taking research findings and moving them towards becoming standard care. This process is critical for making sure new medical discoveries become part of normal practice in clinics, surgeries and hospitals, in community care and in the home.

It currently takes an average of 17 years for research discoveries to be used in clinical practice. Research translation can accelerate this process, meaning patients and the health care system reap the benefits more quickly.

NSW Regional Health Partners is primarily focused on late-stage research translation. That is, adapting research findings to meet the needs of the end user – clinicians, consumers and health services.

The key focus of late-stage research translation is working out how to grow the evidence base to make it easy for healthcare services to apply the research findings in their service. This may require:

Larger multi-site studies, where the intervention or its delivery method can be adapted and evaluated in real world conditions
Training and education courses developed for the intended users
Sharing the findings with other stakeholders (e.g. national or state health agencies, professional networks, patients, and advocacy groups)
Changes to policy and practice

Research translation is most effective when those with different expertise and perspectives work together to solve local problems. This includes health and medical researchers, the healthcare workforce and those with lived experience of health conditions. NSWRHP prioritises collaborative approaches that directly address our health partners’ needs.

What is research translation?

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We acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the custodians of the lands on which we live, learn and work. We respect Elders, past, present, and emerging, and will work as one community for the benefit of all.