Work

Gaining market share for health: A social marketing framework for implementation science

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Implementation science struggles to bridge the evidence-to-practice gap because market dynamics at the T3 (translation to practice) and T4 (translation to populations) stages remain unaddressed. This commentary advances three theoretical claims: implementation stages constitute distinct markets where adoption failures are market failures; exchange theory must extend to multi-level ecosystems; and system dynamics-based interactive learning environments (SD-ILEs) enable mental model restructuring via co-created narrative experiences. I propose a social marketing framework across the T3-T4 continuum, differentiating it from leading implementation frameworks. The approach is illustrated through Pb-ROADS, a narrative-computational ILE for lead (Pb) exposure prevention. Implications include new outcome metrics (e.g., market share of evidence-based practices), practitioner competencies like "systems fluency," and a reassessment of academic training infrastructure.

Source: Health Marketing Quarterly

DOI: 10.1080/07359683.2026.2668844

Author: Brian J. Biroscak

Institution: Case Western Reserve University

Language: English

Topic: Health Policy Implementation Science

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institutes of Health

Award: Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative of Northern Ohio, Systems Marketing Analysis for Research Translation (SMART) Innovation Program