Health Services Research

Health services research is the study of the organization, uses and outcomes of health care. The societal value of health services research lies in identifying the ways in which health care can best be organized, financed, and delivered. This ambitious agenda brings together researchers from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds that are required for evaluating the effectiveness of diagnostic technologies, treatment procedures, and managerial solutions. The series is envisaged as a collection that overviews the established knowledge and provides access to accepted information in the field. The content is grouped into six major areas. 1. Clinical evaluation of health care outcomes 2. Medical practice variations 3. Research methods 4. Health care systems and policies 5. Sources of data 6. Health economics in health services research. The series will be of significant interest for healthcare professionals, program directors, service administrators, policy and decision makers, as well as for graduate students, educators, and researchers in healthcare evaluation.