Creating an organizational culture for evidence-informed decision making.

A public health department in Ontario, Canada, set a 10-year strategic direction for evidence-informed decision making, defined as the systematic application of research evidence to program decisions. The multifaceted approach has identified eight key lessons for leadership, funding, infrastructure, staff development, partnerships, and change management. Results after 4 years include systematic and transparent application of research to > 15 program decisions and, increasingly, evidence-informed decision making as a cultural norm.