Table 1.

Taxonomy of implementation outcomes

Implementation outcome	Level of analysis	Theoretical basis	Other terms in literature	Salience by implementation stage	Available measurement
Acceptability	Individual provider Individual consumer	Rogers: “complexity” and to a certain extent “relative advantage”	Satisfaction with various aspects of the innovation (e.g. content, complexity, comfort, delivery, and credibility)	Early for adoption Ongoing for penetration Late for sustainability	Survey Qualitative or semi-structured interviews Administrative data Refused/blank
Adoption	Individual provider Organization or setting	RE-AIM: “adoption” Rogers: “trialability” (particularly for early adopters)	Uptake; utilization; initial implementation; intention to try	Early to mid	Administrative data Observation Qualitative or semi-structured interviews Survey
Appropriateness	Individual provider Individual consumer Organization or setting	Rogers: “compatibility”	Perceived fit; relevance; compatibility; suitability; usefulness; practicability	Early (prior to adoption)	Survey Qualitative or semi-structured interviews Focus groups
Feasibility	Individual providers Organization or setting	Rogers: “compatibility” and “trialability”	Actual fit or utility; suitability for everyday use; practicability	Early (during adoption)	Survey Administrative data
Fidelity	Individual provider	RE-AIM: part of “implementation”	Delivered as intended; adherence; integrity; quality of program delivery	Early to mid	Observation Checklists Self-report
Implementation Cost	Provider or providing institution	TCU Program Change Model: “costs” and “resources”	Marginal cost; cost-effectiveness; cost-benefit	Early for adoption and feasibility Mid for penetration Late for sustainability	Administrative data
Penetration	Organization or setting	RE-AIM: necessary for “reach”	Level of institutionalization? Spread? Service access?	Mid to late	Case audit Checklists
Sustainability	Administrators Organization or setting	RE-AIM: “maintenance” Rogers: “confirmation”	Maintenance; continuation; durability; incorporation; integration; institutionalization; sustained use; routinization;	Late	Case audit Semi-structured interviews Questionnaires Checklists