BMJ  2007;334:129-132 (20 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.39038.593380.AE

Analysis

The in-between world of knowledge brokering

¹ Canadian Health Services Research Foundation

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

"The mere knowledge of a fact is pale; but when you come to realize a fact, it takes on color. It is all the difference of hearing of a man being stabbed to the heart, and seeing it done." Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee, 1889

The ultimate aim of people engaged in health research is to get the health service's workforce, its employers, and its suppliers to have knowledge of facts (as represented by research results) and to use these facts in their practices, policies, and products. How well organised is research to achieve this aim? And how receptive and oriented are health services to this aim? The answers seem to be "not well organised" and "not very receptive." The interpersonal connections needed to bridge this know-do gap are not yet in place.¹ An emerging role therefore exists for knowledge brokers, supported by knowledge brokering resources and agencies, to . . . [Full text of this article]

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

Evidence based guidelines or collectively constructed "mindlines?" Ethnographic study of knowledge management in primary care

John Gabbay and Andrée le May
BMJ 2004 329: 1013. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Wantedmore answers than questions: literature review

Anthony S David
BMJ 2001 323: 1462-1463. [Full Text] [PDF]

The research assessment exercise and medical research

Stephen Tomlinson
BMJ 2000 320: 636-639. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Mawson, S., Scholefield, H. (2009). The national institute for health research; collaboration for leadership in applied health research and care for South Yorkshire. Journal of Research in Nursing 14: 169-174  
• Denis, J.-L., Lomas, J., Stipich, N. (2008). Creating receptor capacity for research in the health system: the Executive Training for Research Application (EXTRA) program in Canada. J Health Serv Res Policy 13: 1-7 [Full text]  
• (2007). Are program evaluators judges and/or knowledge brokers?. J. Epidemiol. Community Health 61: 1020-1020 [Full text]  
• Roberts, J. H (2007). Brave new world: a reflection on the life's work of John Fry and its link to General Practice in the 21st century. JRSM 100: 583-584 [Full text]  
• Collins, P. A., Hayes, M. V. (2007). Twenty years since Ottawa and Epp: researchers' reflections on challenges, gains and future prospects for reducing health inequities in Canada. HEALTH PROMOT INT 22: 337-345 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Armstrong, R., Waters, E., Crockett, B., Keleher, H. (2007). The nature of evidence resources and knowledge translation for health promotion practitioners. HEALTH PROMOT INT 22: 254-260 [Abstract] [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Wherever possible, research communication should be based on the scientific cumulation of knowledge

Neil Pakenham-Walsh
bmj.com, 21 Jan 2007 [Full text]

The NHS has a network of knowledge brokers

Ben Toth
bmj.com, 2 Feb 2007 [Full text]

Online poll

Find out more >>