Question:

What is the difference between "outcomes research" and "health services research."

Answer:

Outcomes research is a term that many people use, yet few can define. In essence, the term "outcomes research" is non-informative, because every study has some type of outcome. Traditionally, outcomes research refers to research that emphasizes non-biological, patient-oriented outcomes such as health related quality of life, satisfaction with care, costs of care, and resource utilization, among others.

Although our Center name includes the term "outcomes," we think of ourselves as "health services researchers" in addition to "outcomes researchers." Health Services refers to a broader model that includes "structure," "process," and "outcomes" of care. In this model, "outcomes" is only one-third of the picture. This model suggests that the structure of healthcare (e.g. buildings, staffing ratios, equipment) affects the process of healthcare (e.g. provider decision-making, physician-patient relationship, etc.), and the process of healthcare in turn affects the outcomes of healthcare.

Members of the Center are trained in this model of Health Services Research, and are driven to find links between structure and process that ultimately maximize patient outcomes.

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