As the new Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the significant work of the current Editor Emeritus Professor Derek Frewin AO and the Receiving Editor, Ms Anthea Court, for their substantial contribution to the journal over the past 10 years. The journal currently publishes systematic reviews and scholarly papers relating to evidence synthesis, transfer and implementation from the Joanna Briggs Institute and its international collaboration as well as from submitting authors.

Implementing evidence-based healthcare (EBHC) practices is challenging and needs innovative approaches that address the complexity of systems of care, individual practitioners and senior leadership in order to ultimately shift healthcare cultures to be EBHC practice environments.1,2 In order to further our knowledge about adopting new approaches to EBHC, implementation science requires more research that focuses on translating research into practice interventions. Partnership models are crucial in engaging researchers and clinicians to carry forward such research.3,4

The current format of the journal includes the following three essential steps to the pathway of translational science: sourcing the evidence in the evidence synthesis section, using the evidence in the evidence utilisation section and implementing the evidence in the evidence transfer section. This pathway needs to be adapted, so as to change and improve the current policy context. The Joanna Briggs Institute model of EBHC emphasizes the need for the generation, synthesis, transfer and utilization of evidence derived from diverse research approaches. This has been created to facilitate reasoning and critique about EBHC and its role in improving global health, within a logical conceptual framework.

In the next era of the International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, I look forward to including the work of a number of disciplines such as pharmacy, physiotherapy, podiatry and other allied health practitioners that adopt partnership models to facilitate translation of science into practice in order to inform policy making. New knowledge about approaches that promote the implementation of evidence to improve patient care across various practice settings and populations has the capacity to inform practice change. The International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare welcomes articles that describe and report on active involvement and collaboration of all stakeholders in terms of methodological development related to ways to communicate knowledge. We will be also looking to publish new innovative articles of high scientific rigour using the most appropriate methods to produce valid, generalizable answers on how to best implement evidence into practice.

The publication of clinical practice guidelines is another section that I would like to introduce to the journal. Practice guidelines are a result of a comprehensive assessment of the current scientific evidence. They provide detailed, evidence-based guidance for clinicians to assess and manage various conditions. The journal will devote a section to clinical practice guidelines development to inform various practice models.

Through the incorporation of those sections mentioned above, we are hoping to address some of the gaps identified in translation science by making use of the strengths of multidisciplinary collaborations at various levels for better knowledge translation across the health disciplines to improve health outcomes worldwide.

Acknowledgements

There are no conflicts of interest.

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