Table 4 Evidence-informed policymaking (EIPM) competency profile

Area of activity—health management

 Specific

  Supporting the institutionalization of the use of evidence

To support and publicly promote the use of scientific evidence in the institution, through processes and mechanisms of knowledge translation in all its stages (synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically sound application).

A

  Knowing the organizational context

To know the structure, dynamics and capacities to formulate and implement EIPM in relevant organizations, according to their contexts.

K

  Contextualizing evidence

To use scientific evidence in a contextualized way, identifying and implementing adaptations when necessary.

S

  Using evidence

To use the best available evidence to identify, in a systematic and transparent manner, potential benefits, risks, uncertainties, and costs arising from the decisions.

  Formulating EIPM

To plan and formulate evidence-informed health programs and policies in a systematic, transparent and participatory way.

  Implementing EIPM

To implement and monitor health programs and policies by developing and adopting contextualized and evidence-informed implementation plans.

  Evaluating health policies

To evaluate public health policy implementation processes and their outcomes (e.g., products, processes, impacts).

  Mobilizing collaborative networks

To mobilize collaborative networks among EIPM stakeholders, respecting institutional and cultural norms and practices.

 General

  Understanding health policies

To understand what public health policies are, and the processes involved in their development and implementation.

K

  Knowing health systems

To know the structure and dynamics of health systems and their organizations, in their different spheres of management and levels of care.

  Managing organizational processes

To manage organizational processes in health system institutions at their specific level of practice.

S

  Managing projects

To manage resources, processes and risks, and carry out monitoring and evaluation of projects related to health systems and policies.

  Managing people and teams

To coordinate, mobilize, and engage individuals and teams to achieve the institutional objectives.

  Managing conflicts of interest

To manage conflicts of interest, minimizing competition and maximizing collaboration.

Area of activity—scientific research

 Specific

  Conducting scientific research

To produce, search, critically assess and synthesize scientific evidence.

S

 General

  Knowing the fundamentals of scientific research

To know methods, techniques and resources of scientific research.

K

  Extracting scientific information

To extract information from scientific texts relevant to a certain field, written in languages other than the native one.

S

Area of activity—civil society

 Specific

  Advocating for EIPM

To advocate or promote EIPM with civil society, governments and decision-makers, research groups and institutions.

S

Area of activity—knowledge translation

 Specific

  Prioritizing questions and problems

To identify and prioritize questions and problems relevant to the context of health policies and systems.

S

  Managing knowledge translation actions

To plan and apply organizational knowledge translation strategies in the context of practice.

  Conducting knowledge translation

To apply knowledge translation methods, mechanisms and processes.

  Combining different types of evidence

To combine scientific evidence with other types of evidence to inform the decision-making process in health systems and policies.

Area of activity—cross-sectional

 Specific

  Valuing scientific research

To value scientific research as an important resource in decision-making in health policies and systems, at all its stages and levels.

A

  Trusting the other partners and actors in the system

To establish and maintain relationships of mutual trust based on transparency with the actors involved in the EIPM processes in their own environments and contexts.

  Valuing transparency in EIPM

To recognize, advocate and adopt transparency as a principle of action, so that EIPM processes are reliable and accessible to all stakeholders.

  Communicating and disseminating evidence

To communicate and disseminate scientific evidence to different audiences, publicly promoting its social appropriation.

S

  Improving evidence communication

To continuously enhance the use of evidence communication techniques and resources in the context of health policy and systems.

  Leading knowledge translation processes and projects

To lead knowledge translation processes and projects, promoting the engagement of the responsible team and relevant key actors.

  Promoting cooperative actions for EIPM

To establish and encourage the creation of bonds, partnerships and exchanges for cooperation and teamwork among decision-makers, researchers, and other actors involved in EIPM.

  Having basic computer skills

To properly manage computer resources (software and hardware) and other information technologies important to the practice and development of EIPM.

 General

  Acting for the benefit of citizens

To work for a broad conception of the right to health, advocate and prioritize the quality and sustainability of health policy, systems and services.

A

  Reflecting carefully

To carefully, judiciously and sensibly reflect on problems and dilemmas related to public health policies, with a balanced judgment.

  Acting with professionalism and ethics

To act with high ethical and professional standards, guided by principles of integrity, responsibility, commitment to learning, and continuous improvement of practice.

  Valuing social participation

To recognize, advocate and act to value participatory processes in health policy and systems.

  Appreciating teamwork

To adopt practices that promote collaborative teamwork.

  Valuing learning

To have a lifelong commitment to self-directed learning based on critical and reflective thinking.

  Valuing creativity

To value creativity to solve problems, combining strategies and resources in a proactive and participatory manner.

  Appreciating the possibility of change

To have a flexible personal and professional attitude, accepting, valuing, enabling and managing the occurrence of situations that bring change.

  Acting with confidence in one’s own abilities

To make an assertive use of one’s already developed knowledge, skills and attitudes.

  Acting with motivation and initiative

To act with motivation and initiative, proactively seeking opportunities to contribute to improving the environment and context of practice.

  Facilitating group interaction

To apply techniques for facilitating groups, aimed at exchange and cooperation in the collective construction of knowledge and practices in health.

S

  Establishing good interpersonal relationships for collaborative processes

To establish good interpersonal relationships based on ethical and respectful practices for collaboration, regardless of the hierarchical position occupied.