After the Implementation Team selects the implementation strategies, we encourage members to integrate them into the Action Plans. In Chapter 8, we will talk about how to develop plans for implementing, measuring progress, and determining the success of the strategies.
We also recommend that the team put in place a protocol for tracking the use of the selected strategies and any adaptations made to the strategies. This protocol does not need to be a complicated or time-consuming process. The team can compile an Implementation Activity Log to help with this process.7 This log is a record of the activities that take place according to the Action Plan. The log should include information about when the activities take place (date/time), their purpose, and the persons involved in them. Team members can complete this log on a weekly or monthly basis.
It is best to think about implementation as an iterative process unfolding over time and through stages, as discussed in Chapter 6. Early implementation periods might require one set of implementation strategies that differ entirely from those used in later implementation or sustainment periods. Additionally, Action Plans may need to be updated depending on unforeseen circumstances at the clinic and when organizational assessments point to the presence of new facilitators or barriers.