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Table 1 Sustainability definitions

From: Developing a comprehensive definition of sustainability

“Sustainability of organizational innovations can be thought of as the point at which new ways of working become the norm and the underlying systems and ways of working become transformed in support” [2].

“The simplest definition of sustainability is the ‘capability of being maintained at a certain rate or level’” [20].

“We use the term sustainment to denote the continued use of an innovation in practice” (Aarons et al. [33]).

“(1) [W]hether, and to what extent, the core elements (the elements mostly closely associated with desired health benefits) are maintained; (2) the extent to which desired health benefits are maintained and improved upon over time after initial funding or supports have been withdrawn; (3) the extent, nature, and impact of modifications to the core and adaptable/peripheral elements of the program or innovation; (4) continued capacity to function at the required level to maintain the desired benefits” [11].