The path from evidence to practice
10/20/2025
How does evidence make its way to care? Hardly a straight line from research to practice, supporting evidence-based health care requires a feedback loop that ensures knowledge is used meaningfully.
Knowledge brokers spend their time embedded in that loop, sharing information between people, between roles, and between organizations. It’s a role defined by connection and designed to make the transfer of knowledge meaningful, feasible, and ultimately, put it in the hands of those who will carry it into their practice.
Four knowledge brokers with the Ontario Centres for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care (Ontario CLRI) at Bruyère Health shared how they commit to collaborative knowledge communication in the sector.
“Collaborative knowledge communication contributes to better outcomes because it involves the people who are being directly impacted by the work—whose lives are affected by the outcomes,” said Rachel Lithopoulos. “It wouldn’t make sense to make decisions or choose a solution without collaborating with the appropriate partners.”
“We synthesize and share back learnings, which provides people easier access to helpful information and guidance when they need it,” said Michelle Fleming. “The long-term care sector has been strained and stretched, particularly over the past five years, and when we help bring evidence-informed tools to their fingertips, we are supporting the delivery of high-quality care.”
They each viewed their role as a bridge between practical, on-the-ground experiences (such as from residents, caregivers, and long-term care team members), researchers, and decision-makers. Collaboration is about creating dialogue and co-learning between partners, while ensuring the tools and education that are developed reflect real-world needs, experiences, and barriers.
“For me, ‘collaborative’ means that knowledge is not something we deliver, but something we build together,” said Ashley Flanagan. “Collaborative knowledge communication strengthens uptake and sustainability. When people see their everyday experiences reflected in the final resource or training, they are far more likely to champion its use and integrate it into practice.”
Not only does it strengthen uptake, it also strengthens trust and understanding. That takes time, deep and ongoing engagement, and is essential when working on equity and inclusion in health care.
Rachel Ozer explained the challenges when best-practice guidelines seem like unrealistic expectations or are not focused on the unique environment of long-term care. The result is not only frustrating, but it may even be counterproductive. Trust falters. Uptake declines.
“When delivering elearning or training, our approach offers teams the opportunity to explore best practices and make their own decisions about what should be done in their context,” Ozer said. “While we are promoting evidence-informed best practice ideas, long-term care homes are picking up and implementing what they feel is most useful and appropriate for where they are in their journey. It’s about supporting their priorities.”
The role of knowledge brokers has been essential to the success of Ontario CLRI’s work. Their experience shows a path from evidence to practice that is fostered in collaboration and mutual understanding. Without it, it’s easy for evidence to sit on the shelf, remain unheard, or lack the usefulness that can make meaningful change.
“Storytelling is a powerful form of knowledge translation,” Flanagan said, reflecting on lessons learned as a knowledge broker. “Pairing evidence with lived experience can move people from awareness to action in ways that data alone cannot.”
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The Ontario Centres for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care (Ontario CLRI) strengthen the quality of life and care for residents across the province. The Ontario CLRI is hosted at Baycrest Academy for Research and Education, Bruyère Health Research Institute, and the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging, and is funded by the Ministry of Long-Term Care with a mandate to be a resource for the sector by providing education and sharing research and innovations to enhance the health and well-being of people who live and work in long-term care.