Implementation Science frameworks address program sustainability, scalability, and replicability, and increase the likelihood of success of future programs. Implementation science frameworks and methods should guide the deployment and evaluation of programs that utilize PGHD captured via mHealth for SSI surveillance to ensure equitable health care access and cost arrangements.
The current state of programs that use PGHD captured via mHealth for SSI surveillance remains in the pilot/feasibility stage. In order to scale and sustain programs that can attain the full promise of mHealth and PGHD, an evaluation framework that directly address program implementation should be employed. Implementation Science aims to address the gaps that exist between research and clinical practice by utilizing evaluation frameworks that accelerate uptake of evidence-based research findings and support their integration into health care delivery.96-98 Current research on PGHD captured via mHealth for SSI surveillance examines clinical outcomes associated with its use, as well as measures of feasibility and usability of the technology in clinical application. This outcomes-based approach is necessary to examine the clinical utility of these programs, but is insufficient to support scalability, sustainability, and replicability of programs on a broad level. Additionally, current practice for the integration of PGHD captured via mHealth for SSI surveillance is haphazard, and lacks the standardization and best practices that would improve efficiencies and program adherence. These and other issues can be addressed by thorough evaluation of mHealth programs using an implementation Science framework, which should aim to elucidate the features of successful, as well as unsuccessful, implementations to increase the likelihood of success of future programs.99-101