Health services research and development in practice: an Australian experience.
While there is a growing literature on how health services research can inform health policy decisions, the practical challenge is for health services researchers to develop an effective interface with health policy-making processes and to produce outputs that lead to outcomes. The experience of the Centre for Health Service Development at the University of Wollongong, Australia, is used to illustrate the issues so commonly described in the literature and to reflect on our experience of trying to remain viable while producing relevant and valid research. A case study in a specific policy area - namely, the development of case-mix classifications and information systems to inform policy and funding in the subacute and non-acute hospital and community care sectors - is used as a practical example of the research-policy interface.
Centre for Health Service Development, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Kathy
K
Eagar
David
D
Cromwell
Alan
A
Owen
Kate
K
Senior
Robert
R
Gordon
Janette
J
Green
D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups / Q000145:classification; D006291:Health Policy; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D009517:New South Wales; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D011050:Policy Making; D014495:Universities / Q000458:organization & administration*