Barriers and facilitators of knowledge use in the health care system in Mexico: the Newborn Screening Programme

ABSTRACTThere is currently a discussion about the know-do gap, and the factors that limit the application of knowledge generated in universities and public research centres, so that they can contribute to solve health problems of the population. By taking elements from the knowledge transfer, the innovation and institutional studies, this work aims to contribute in that direction by analysing the case of the newborn screening project, a university initiative that after nearly 15 years became a National Health Programme in Mexico. The findings indicate that the institutional entrepreneur (IE) and the creation of an interface unit played a crucial role as articulators of the actors and facilitators of that process, overcoming institutional, organizational and resource barriers.