Health services research

Definition
 Health services research (HSR) is

"the study of the effects of using different modes of organization, delivery and financing for health care services."

Overview
As an applied field of study, HSR is closely related to non-research investigations that are directed toward assessing and improving the quality of operations in healthcare organizations. Indeed, HSR and health care operations form two ends of a continuous spectrum. Some HSR projects are clear examples of research; applying scientific methods to test hypotheses and produce new, generalizable knowledge.

The benefits to society of HSR studies include increased understanding of the results of policy changes and other systemic effects of health care delivery systems. The major risks to subjects in HSR are not physical risks, such as unknown side effects of new drugs or invasive medical procedures, but psychosocial and financial risks resulting from improper disclosure of personally identifiable health information from the databases. That is, the potential for harm com