Research Design - Learn The Basics

Research and innovation are at the heart of a strong, evidence-based health care system. Research activities combined with innovative solutions help us improve health service delivery and contribute to better outcomes for country WA.

View this short video which highlights how research can be done in regional Australia!

Resources are limited, and decision-makers and funders often face difficult choices about how to use them efficiently and effectively. Health economics helps guide these decisions by comparing costs and outcomes and by assessing the trade-offs involved. This learning resource provides a practical introduction to key concepts and tools in health economics.

This course is designed to help participants, especially those with less experience, see how GCP principles inform every key decision in a study, from design to closure, with an emphasis on justice, equity, and applied ethics.

Upon completion of this course, participants are expected to:

• Understand the basic principles of GCP and its relevance to clinical research
• Apply participant-centred practices, adequate risk management, and quality in the design and execution of clinical trials
• Adapt GCP practices in diverse research environments and other study designs

The target audience of this course is wide and includes clinical researchers and members of research teams such as data managers, monitors and quality assurance personnel, as well as sponsors, ethics committee members and professionals in regulatory agencies involved in clinical research.

This course is suitable for people undertaking clinical and/or health services research. Many healthcare services provide access to internal GCP training, so check with your Manager or Research Unit, or access this free course.

The learning outcomes for this chapter include defining what research is and the key characteristics of research; and identifying the stages of the research process.

This short video clip introduces health services research and why it is an important part of health services work.

This webinar introduces HSR in practice; in hospital policy; in primary care policy; in commissioning in primary care; and includes a Q&A session.

This course will equip you with the knowledge and skills to understand the basis of evidence-based medicine (EBM) in health research and its importance. You will learn about the different stages of planning and executing research, as well as the principles of writing effective health research reports. With a focus on the study of human health, disease prevention, and treatment, this course will provide you with the tools to approach health research with confidence and accuracy.

Click on ‘Learn more’, then on the RET Program website, click on ‘log in’, sign up as a new member with your details. When you come to ‘Institution’ in the drop-down box, click on ‘@research’, you will then be asked to click on your health service in the drop-down box. In the next box where it asks for the @Research Access Code, enter ‘atResearch’. Registering this way will provide free access to the RET Program courses, courtesy of @research.