Learning Activity: Embedding Healthcare Technologies in Real-World Contexts—Developing the Scale-Up, Spread, and Sustainability of Assistive Technologies in Health Systems

Over the past few years, the development of innovative healthcare solutions, such as assistive technologies (ATs), has gained significant momentum and is viewed as an important potential contributor to enhancing healthy aging and relieving the burden of the oftentimes premature use of acute care services (Honeyman, Dunn, & McKenna, 2014). However, evidence for successful implementation of AT programs is sparse, especially for those that require major changes in organizations or the wider system because of the combined problems of nonadoption and abandonment by individuals as well as the difficulties associated with its scale-up and spread (Sanders et al., 2012). There is a gap in our knowledge concerning the challenges facing sustainable implementation and the key supportive factors that enhance success.