Services Research Branch

Health Services Research Defined

Health services research is a multidisciplinary field of inquiry, both basic and applied, that examines how social factors, financing systems, organizational structures and processes, health technologies, and personal beliefs and behaviors affect access to and utilization of healthcare, the quality and cost of healthcare, and in the end our health and well-being. Ultimately, the goal of health services research is to identify the most effective ways to organize, manage, finance, and deliver high-quality care.