This paper outlines the development and evaluation of evidence summaries as a rapid review approach within the Knowledge to Action (KTA) research program. The KTA program aims to develop and assess the impact of a regional knowledge infrastructure that supports evidence-informed decision-making by regional managers and stakeholders. Evidence summaries, a form of rapid review, have become a key component of the project. The eight-step approach for producing evidence summaries has been developed iteratively, based on evidence, experience, and feedback from knowledge users. The goal is to deliver timely, user-friendly, and trustworthy evidence. From November 2009 to March 2011, 11 evidence summaries were produced on a diverse range of questions identified by knowledge users. Topics included clinical effectiveness, health systems, and health services. Knowledge users reported that evidence summaries were of high value in informing their decisions and initiatives. The approach continues to experiment with incorporating more established methods of systematic reviews while maintaining the ability to deliver a final product in a timely manner. The evolution of the KTA rapid review evidence summaries has been positive, addressing the need for timely, user-friendly, and trustworthy evidence. The methods are transparently reported here for the wider rapid review and scientific community. The evidence summaries begin with a needs assessment to determine the scope of the question, purpose, and availability of knowledge users. A collaborative process is used to develop a clear and effective research question. The systematic literature search focuses on locating and summarizing evidence from relevant and high-quality systematic reviews, with a focus on minimizing bias and error. Screening and selection of studies involve multiple reviewers to ensure accuracy. Narrative synthesis of included studies provides an overview of the evidence in an intuitive way. The final report is designed to be concise and methodical, with a focus on usability and dissemination. Ongoing follow-up with knowledge users has shown that evidence summaries are effective tools for addressing the evidentiary needs of health services decision makers. The paper highlights the importance of transparency and the need for further research on the validity and impact of rapid reviews. The methods continue to evolve to improve the quality and usability of evidence summaries.This paper outlines the development and evaluation of evidence summaries as a rapid review approach within the Knowledge to Action (KTA) research program. The KTA program aims to develop and assess the impact of a regional knowledge infrastructure that supports evidence-informed decision-making by regional managers and stakeholders. Evidence summaries, a form of rapid review, have become a key component of the project. The eight-step approach for producing evidence summaries has been developed iteratively, based on evidence, experience, and feedback from knowledge users. The goal is to deliver timely, user-friendly, and trustworthy evidence. From November 2009 to March 2011, 11 evidence summaries were produced on a diverse range of questions identified by knowledge users. Topics included clinical effectiveness, health systems, and health services. Knowledge users reported that evidence summaries were of high value in informing their decisions and initiatives. The approach continues to experiment with incorporating more established methods of systematic reviews while maintaining the ability to deliver a final product in a timely manner. The evolution of the KTA rapid review evidence summaries has been positive, addressing the need for timely, user-friendly, and trustworthy evidence. The methods are transparently reported here for the wider rapid review and scientific community. The evidence summaries begin with a needs assessment to determine the scope of the question, purpose, and availability of knowledge users. A collaborative process is used to develop a clear and effective research question. The systematic literature search focuses on locating and summarizing evidence from relevant and high-quality systematic reviews, with a focus on minimizing bias and error. Screening and selection of studies involve multiple reviewers to ensure accuracy. Narrative synthesis of included studies provides an overview of the evidence in an intuitive way. The final report is designed to be concise and methodical, with a focus on usability and dissemination. Ongoing follow-up with knowledge users has shown that evidence summaries are effective tools for addressing the evidentiary needs of health services decision makers. The paper highlights the importance of transparency and the need for further research on the validity and impact of rapid reviews. The methods continue to evolve to improve the quality and usability of evidence summaries.