The purpose of this conference is to facilitate more effective use of the findings of health services research addressing directly the problem, well acknowledge by researchers and policy makers alike, that the findings of research are often not translated effectively into health policy discussions. A regional approach, bringing together researchers and the health policy community residing in the pacific Northwest, is proposed for a series of biennial conferences. This inaugural conference pilots the overall approach by involving only University of Washington faculty on the planning committee and only Washington state health policy community leaders for the development of this agenda but invites attendance from the region. The format and program content address the key barrier to research translation, the discrepancy in timing and time schedule between policy decisions and supporting research, as well as specific issues that bear on more effective dissemination: communication, agenda setting and financing, and the role of the media. The desired outcome of the conference is to both be a method and create a forum for identifying other methods for improving information dissemination and sharing between academic researchers and the health policy community. The health policy community is defined and is the principal beneficiary of the conference. Expected attendance is 250.
