So what? Elevating the impact of implementation science

Generating new research knowledge does not guarantee societal impact. For implementation science to become more relevant to societal needs, enhancing and evaluating its impacts matter; otherwise, systemic changes required in institutions will continue to evolve slowly. We argue that impactful implementation science involves developing new skill sets and uncovering meaningful work that changes the field while adopting a collaborative working approach with individual researchers, their organizations, funders, and the communities they aim to benefit. Navigating the hurdles and translating research into practice and policy can amplify societal impact, making implementation science more applicable, accessible, and equitable for all.