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ImplementEcon
A network bringing implementation science and health economics together.
ImplementEcon is a collaborative network bringing together researchers, health and care professionals and public contributors with a shared interest in implementation science and health economics. Together, we aim to share our knowledge and expertise and find ways of working better together.
Why do we need ImplementEcon?
Many treatments and services that are proven to work and offer good value for money are still not used widely, leading to significant waste. For example, magnesium sulphate, which can reduce the risk of cerebral palsy in premature births, is now offered to 8 in 10 eligible mothers – but it took over a decade to reach this point.
Implementation science looks at how treatments and interventions are embedded into routine practice, while health economics examines how we can use limited resources to improve health outcomes. Combining these perspectives helps ensure effective treatments reach the people who need them faster and more equitably.
Despite their shared goals, implementation scientists and health economists have often worked in isolation from each other. We want to harmonise the work of health economists, who identify effective, good-value treatments and services, with the work of implementation scientists, who help ensure that the most effective and good-value services are rolled-out into everyday health and care.
What are ImplementEcon’s aims?
ImplementEcon aims to help ensure a better quality and experience of care for patients and service users. Through bridging health economics and implementation science, we hope to understand more about:
- What happens when patients don’t receive treatments that could help them?
- Which treatments should we prioritise for wider use?
- How will interventions be used in routine practice?
- Should we invest in ensuring treatments reach more people?
- Can better implementation reduce health inequalities?
ImplementEcon aims to address these gaps. By connecting researchers, health professionals and public contributors, the group seeks to develop better methods and forge stronger partnerships between the two disciplines.
What does ImplementEcon do?
ImplementEcon is working to:
- Build a strong, inclusive network
We’re bringing together researchers, health professionals, patients and the public in a network to support each other and improve methods in implementation science and health economics. - Deepen public involvement
We include patients and the public within our network to ensure that the work we do is grounded in the lived experiences of patients and service users. - Explore and improve methods
We share our research and ideas to understand how implementation science and health economics can work better together, identifying barriers and showcasing practical solutions. - Develop and share training
We’re supporting accessible training programmes – online and in person – for researchers, practitioners and the public, supported by our public involvement group to ensure wide reach and relevance.
Join us
ImplementEcon is led by researchers from several institutions across the UK and abroad. It involves collaborators across several NIHR Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs) in England.
Our growing network is open to anyone interested in the intersection of implementation science and health economics: researchers, practitioners, policymakers and members of the public.
Watch ImplementEcon’s webinars
Their launch webinar in May 2025:
Their webinar about costing implementation in November 2025:
