Reimagination: disrupting old models for a new world

Authors: Zoe Jordan¹, Karla Soares-Weiser², Will Moy³

1. JBI, University of Adelaide

2. Cochrane Collaboration

3. Campbell Collaboration

Introduction

The global evidence ecosystem is ripe for disruption. As the theme of this year’s World Evidence-Based Healthcare Day suggests, in today’s rapidly changing global landscape, the need for collaboration has never been more pressing. As the world becomes more interconnected and complex, traditional approaches to the generation, synthesis, transfer, and implementation of evidence are being tested. To address global challenges effectively, we must rethink and reimagine how we collaborate, share knowledge, and apply evidence. This is not just a call for more teamwork but for a fundamental shift in how we envision and practice collaboration across global evidence networks. The old model is no longer sufficient, as we are being challenged to utilize new technologies more effectively, to address issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and to find more effective and meaningful ways to engage knowledge users.

We need to stop chasing fragments of problems with little prospect of collective impact, working in siloes, and wasting research funding and effort. The Global Commission on Evidence has challenged all of us to do better in this respect.1 One of the most significant barriers to the effective implementation of evidence is the siloed nature of the evidence community: researchers; educators; clinicians; policy makers; the public. Too often, these sectors operate in isolation, leading to disjointed, misaligned, and sometimes conflicting approaches to how evidence is generated, accessed, and used. To overcome this, we must foster interdisciplinary collaboration, where different fields of expertise come together to create a more holistic understanding of the challenges before us.

For example, consider the growing importance of social determinants of health—factors such as education, income, and environment—that play a critical role in health outcomes.2 Addressing these requires input not just from health care providers but also from sociologists, economists, and urban planners. By bringing together diverse perspectives, we can develop more comprehensive solutions that address the root causes of health issues rather than just the symptoms. These same principles are also true for challenges outside of health.

Beyond interdisciplinary collaboration, we must also focus on dismantling silos within global evidence networks that work to synthesize, transfer, and implement the best available evidence. These networks are essential for translating research into practice, but they often operate independently, leading to duplication of effort and missed opportunities for impact. To break down these silos, we need to establish stronger connections between different evidence networks, fostering open communication and sharing of resources. We were heartened to see this starting to happen at the recent Global Evidence Summit in Prague.3 

One approach is to create platforms that facilitate the exchange of information and best practices across networks, allowing us to learn from each other’s successes and challenges. Another is to promote joint initiatives that bring together multiple networks to address specific global issues, ensuring that evidence is synthesized and applied in a coordinated and effective manner. By uniting these networks, we can create a more cohesive global evidence ecosystem that accelerates the implementation of evidence-based solutions on a global scale. 

One such response to this call is the “Building a Global Evidence Synthesis Community” initiative, designed to bring together experts from across a diversity of geographies and sectors to reimagine the evidence synthesis architecture.4 The challenges we face in society today are too complex to be solved by any one individual, discipline, or country. To make meaningful progress, we must reimagine how we collaborate, leveraging technology, and engaging communities. This reimagined collaboration will not only lead to better health care outcomes but also help us address the broader global issues that impact health, such as inequality, climate change, and social justice.

In this new world, collaboration is not just an option; it is a necessity. By working together in innovative and inclusive ways, we can create a future where evidence-based health care is more effective, equitable, and sustainable. The time to reimagine collaboration is now, and the stakes could not be higher. Let us rise to the challenge and build a healthier, more connected world for all.

Next steps

This blog reflects the ongoing need to rethink how we collaborate in the global health space, especially in the face of increasingly complex challenges. How can you or your organization contribute to this reimagined collaboration? The conversation starts here…

References

Building a Global Evidence Synthesis Community. https://evidencesynthesis.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ESE/overview?mode=global

Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges 2024. McMaster Forum. https://www.mcmasterforum.org/networks/evidence-commission

Global Evidence Summit, Prague. https://www.globalevidencesummit.org/

World Health Organization. (2024). Social determinants of health.  https://www.who.int/health-topics/social-determinants-of-health#tab=tab_1

To link to this article - DOI: https://doi.org/10.70253/TEQC8649

Links to additional resources

United Nations SDG Synthesis Coalition

Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges

The Global Coalition for Evidence

Building a Global Evidence Synthesis Community

Conflict of interest
All authors are affiliated with the “Building a global evidence synthesis architecture” initiative:
Zoe Jordan is Executive Director, JBI
Karla Soares-Weiser is Editor in Chief, Cochrane Collaboration
Will Moy is CEO, Campbell Collaboration
 

Disclaimer
The views expressed in this World EBHC Day Blog, as well as any errors or omissions, are the sole responsibility of the author and do not represent the views of the World EBHC Day Steering Committee, Official Partners or Sponsors; nor does it imply endorsement by the aforementioned parties.