A scoping review of classification schemes of interventions to promote and integrate evidence into practice in healthcare

Many models and frameworks are currently used to classify or describe knowledge translation interventions to promote and integrate evidence into practice in healthcare. In order to encourage the use of classification schemes, authors and designers of interventions need to better understand the range of classification schemes available.

The authors performed a scoping review of the literature and contacted content experts for classification schemes used to describe interventions that promote and integrate evidence into health practices, systems and policies across a number of fields including public health, clinical medicine, nursing, policy, behaviour science, improvement science and psychology. Broadly, classification schemes could include frameworks, taxonomies, terminologies, glossaries, nomenclatures or reporting guidance. 

We use ‘classification scheme’ to describe any of these modes of classifying or describing interventions. The objective of the review was to gather and summarize classification schemes according to their content, the context for which they were developed, the method of development, whether original or based on an existing scheme, and if or how peer review and theory specifically were used for development. This will allow authors to access a summary of existing schemes in one place, for evaluation and comparison of schemes, and to guide validation of existing models.