Frequently Asked Questions“Health services research is a multidisciplinary field of inquiry, both basic and applied, that examines access to, and the use, costs, quality, delivery, organisation, financing, and outcomes of health care services to produce new knowledge about the structure, processes, and effects of health services for individuals and populations.”
Ref: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK231502/
This is a broad definition and you may want to delve more deeply. To explore and increase your understanding of Health Services Research, have a look at the 3 modules on this website, in the Education & Training: Learn the basics tab.
What is health services research? from HSRAANZ
An Introduction to Health Services Research from HSRAANZ
Introduction to Health Services Research from WAHTR Ed & Training
Starting research can feel daunting! Think about what it is you wish to find out.
Can you make it into a question or is it a statement that you want to prove or disprove?
Do a quick brainstorm…
Talk to the most appropriate person in your organisation, and run the idea past them.
Check out if there is a research office in your health service, and see if they can offer a suggestion regarding who to speak to. See Research – basic designs.
It is always a good idea to talk through your idea with a colleague or potential mentor! Clarifying your idea and its potential as research will ensure you present a well-thought-out suggestion when you are ready to approach your Manager and/or your team. Depending on what service you work in, there may be a “Research Champion” or a Research Service you can contact. See Contacts on @research for contact details. You may wish to speak to someone outside of your service. Check the contact list to see if there is anyone who might be specialised in the topic you’re looking at. Is this research idea being explored in another service? See Current Projects on @research. Feel free to send an email to @research to discuss further.
There are generally 10 phases to a research project or study
See Research and its role in healthcare on this website to explore this question further.
We choose the research design that best suits the approach we are taking to the research. There are three main approaches; qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods.
We determine our approach by looking at which one will best enable us to answer our question or prove our hypothesis. Once we know which approach to take, we can then explore which research design will give us the best methods of collecting our data and analysing it. For a good starting point see Research Design – Learn The Basics
There are many different methods to choose from. Your methods will be determined by your methodology. Whatever you choose will be determined by the research approach you have chosen, and by what you are asking or testing. In qualitative research you may choose from the common methodologies of ethnography; phenomenology; grounded theory; action research; or mixed methods. This means your methods of collecting data may be interviews; focus groups; case studies; observation; or participant observation. There are many other methodologies. For more information see Education and Training – Data Collection and Management
In quantitative research your methodology will depend on your hypothesis and may be health economics; epidemiology; or clinical trials. The methods you use to collect data may be experimental; observational; or descriptive. For more information see Education and Training – Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods
Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods are approaches to research. Which one you choose will depend on what you are seeking to find out. Qualitative research tends to ask a question about the “why” or “how” of social phenomena, in order to discover meanings, whereas quantitative research tends to explore the logic, trends, and occurrence of data, using convergent thinking to test a hypothesis. Mixed methods is an approach that is used when the researcher wants to know the numbers or quantities as well as the meanings in the situation, so it is literally a mix of qualitative and quantitative. For more information, see Research Design – basics
There are many avenues to explore funding, often depending on where you are conducting your research, who you may be collaborating with, or the scope and reach of your topic. Firstly, check out your health service to see what is available locally. For external funding, explore Funding Opportunities
Research is governed by national and state guidelines, which can be read in The Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research and the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research. These documents stipulate the obligations on all researchers to be aware of the ethical framework governing research and to be compliant with regulatory requirements. You will need to apply for ethics approval if your research involves human participants. Applications are made to a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) which will be based in your health service or in an umbrella health service. Ethics applications can seem daunting, however, seek help to ensure you are well-prepared before applying. See Contacts
The Victorian Cancer Registry (VCR) Data Explorer can be accessed on the Cancer Victoria website. You are able to download statistics about cancer incidence in Victoria, including per tumour stream, and under the headings of diagnoses, deaths, and survival. For more detailed data, you can request aggregated (non-identifiable) data via the data request form. There are also provisions for identifiable data and accessing your own cancer data. Future developments plan to provide data by geographical prevalence and more detailed data for haematological cancers. There is a cost for accessing data, see the webpage for details. If you live in the Barwon South West region, you can also contact ECOBSW to discuss your regional data needs. The Evaluation of Cancer Outcomes Barwon South West (ECOBSW) Registry was developed to capture outcomes, patterns of care and quality of care delivered to patients diagnosed with cancer in the Barwon South Western region. Data includes stage at diagnosis, first-line treatments, and subsequent outcomes. The dataset provides comprehensive information to inform clinical and population health decision-making for all residents of the region.
A literature review is where you search for published information on previous research into your chosen topic, review and evaluate it, and write about it in your research document. It can seem daunting! However, it is important to find out what evidence has already been discovered in other research, as it may influence what you choose to do in your research. A literature review gives you a foundation on which to discuss your research. When you quote what other researchers have found in their studies, you can justify why you needed to take the study of the topic further, by delving deeper, or looking at different angles, e.g. your local experience. The library at your local health service and/or associated university has qualified staff who will be happy to help you with your literature search. Searching for literature needs to be done in a methodical and systematic manner or else you run the risk of wasting your time and perhaps missing important information, so ask an expert to help you. Online instruction courses are available as well. See more information
Artificial intelligence, including aids such as ChatGPT is present in many aspects of our lives, including in healthcare. Do they have a place in your research? It’s up to you whether you use programs to assist you with your study, however, it is important to check the policies your organisation may have around their use. It is worth considering if these aids will assist you or not, and if you are using them, whether you are doing so ethically and transparently. Certainly, ChatGPT can be used as a tool to assist in the writing process for a research paper. However, writing a research paper requires not only knowledge of the subject but also skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, analysis, and data interpretation. These are the skills you bring to your research study. For further reading see the Ethics and Governance Section
Validity and reliability are important in both quantitative and qualitative research.
Validity: Are the results of the study you’re reading about, true? Are they valid? Does the study truly measure what it set out to do, or might there be variables that haven’t been accounted for? E.g. A study of smoking behaviour of people used a data collection method of self-reported numbers of cigarettes smoked per day. How valid is this measurement? Could there be variables such as under-reporting, self-bias, or poor reporting at play?
Reliability: refers to whether the same results would be found if the study was repeated. Are the results reliable? Can we trust that the results wouldn’t alter markedly if the study was repeated? E.g. If the above study was repeated and there were additional data collection methods that controlled the purchase or receipt of cigarettes, would the results be the same?
Every researcher should aim to involve people with lived experience or consumers in their research, and indeed many funding bodies now require you to describe how you will involve lived experience expertise in your research. Your research design may suggest how you should go about engagement e.g. a co-design approach would mean your first step should be made with people with lived experience or consumers. There are many guidelines and manuals available that outline how to develop a consumer partnership in your research. As well, your health service will have policies and procedures for the engagement of people with lived experience. For further information, guides and templates, see Consumers section
Data collection is a big job! However, it can be made easier by ensuring you are collecting the right amount of data. E.g. in some qualitative designs, data is collected until a saturation point is reached, which is when no new themes or concepts are emerging from the data. Similarly, in quantitative data, there will be a range of sample sizes that are appropriate depending on the hypothesis you are testing. Making sure you understand your research design will help you understand just how much data you need to collect. Keep in mind that there are ways to improve data collection such as using software to record and transcribe interviews, saving you from doing so manually. When considering data collection, weigh up quantity versus quality, and make sure you are meeting accepted standards for ensuring your research is reliable. There are many templates available to assist you in collecting your data. See data collection templates
Data analysis certainly involves decision-making but it is much more than that. It is using a systematic and methodical approach to interpreting the data you have collected. It may involve considerable coding to organise your data before even beginning to interpret it. In qualitative research, it may mean using computer-aided qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) e.g. NVivo, ATLAS.ti, or MaxQDA. In quantitative data, it may mean using a biostatistical approach in order to obtain statistical measurements. You do not have to be an expert to undertake your data analysis – you can seek out experts to help you, whether human or computerised. For further information, see Data analysis section
It really is bigger than Ben Hur! Don’t panic. Being organised is the key to ensuring you don’t forget anything. Go to your checklist, and tick off the tasks. Then congratulate yourself for a job well done! If you need to check your checklist, see Templates
The style in which you present your research will depend on any guidelines you are following, e.g. You may be completing it for a university department that will inform you what style they use, or you may need to follow the style usual to your discipline. See (link to Writing skills for research section) for a range of style guides. Once you know which style you are going to use, make sure you consistently stick to it, as once you submit to journals, these sorts of mistakes can influence editors’ decisions. All styles have guidelines, called manuals, which are readily available on the internet. A style manual provides the writing rules for particular academic disciplines. When you follow those rules, you can produce a work whose form is recognisable by other readers in the discipline, and by the journals you may submit to.
Presenting your research document correctly can seem like a burden after all the hard work of research has been done. However, writing skills and presentation are just as important as the research because they influence publication opportunities and readers’ opinions. See Writing skills for research for links to how to write abstracts, bibliographies, journal articles, and other research writing, as well as how to check for plagiarism and how to edit and proofread your document.
Submitting your research for publication is an exciting step. Where you submit will determine how you submit it. First of all, consider what you are submitting. Is it a journal article? Is it a news item? Is it a conversational piece? Is it a poster or oral presentation for a conference? Secondly, consider where the best place would be for the type of work it is. Is it something for the general public to read? Is it likely to be of interest to local/national/international colleagues? Does it suit printed publications or is it for cyberspace? Is it more suited to an oral or poster presentation at a work meeting or conference/event? Wherever you submit it, check the requirements of the host. Most will provide guidelines and instructions on eligibility and format. Check with your local research office or contact @research for more information. See the Presenting research section
Once you have completed your research, it’s time to consider where you think it might be best put to use. Is it something that can be translated into use in your health service? Is it something that other regional health services might be interested in? Are there people who would benefit from this research and if so, how might you communicate it to them? Talk to your team and your Manager, and discuss where to from here for these research findings? AND remember to add your research to @research via the Current Research submission form
Quality assurance or improvement, or service improvement is an activity where the primary purpose is to monitor or improve the quality of services. The project compares current practice to current standards or best practice, using data that is routinely collected. Research is a systematic investigation that aims to generate new knowledge. It involves gathering information beyond what is routinely collected or uses QA data for a secondary purpose. They are very similar to each other and actually exist on a continuum. Both can lead to the other! Ref: Western Alliance. See https://www.westernalliance.org.au/starr/starr-resources/ethics-governance/
Clinical trials test new treatments, technologies or devices to establish whether they are safe, work as intended, have indication of benefit or evidence of efficacy. Clinical trials are usually concerned with new medicines or vaccines and/or new ways to give treatment e.g. dose, timing, method or techniques, devices, or non-pharmaceutical therapies. Clinical trials seek to answer questions like does this treatment or device work better than previous interventions? Is it safe? What side effects occur? They are conducted under strict conditions.
Health Services Research is an umbrella term used to refer to a range of study designs, examining how healthcare is delivered, its acceptability, efficiency, accessibility, reach, or implementability,. It studies issues such as access to care, quality of care, cost and efficiency, healthcare systems and policies or patient experience. HSR seeks to answer questions like are patients getting the right care in the right place at the right time? Or is the treatment being provided in the safest, timeliest and most cost-effective manner, or do rural patients receive equitable access to clinical trials or care and if not, what are the barriers to this? As with clinical trials, HSR studies are conducted under strict ethical guidelines.
Health services research studies are often randomised trials and use robust trial methodology.
Watch an interesting Webinar that unpacks the nuances of clinical trials and HSR
The Australian Clinical Trials Education Centre (A-CTEC) was previously known as V-CTEC but is now a national provider of education and training for all things clinical trials. A-CTEC is a not-for-profit, Victorian developed, Australia-wide education centre, with a dedicated Learning Management System (LMS) hosting a suite of evidence-based, interactive clinical trials education opportunities suitable for a range of learning needs.
See: A-CTEC
A great place to start looking for clinical education relating to cancer is the Centre for Cancer Education, VCCC Alliance. See Centre for Cancer Education
Other education and training providers include eviQ, who provide online training and resources for health professionals working in cancer. See eviQ. For palliative care education and training, see The Centre for Palliative Care who also provide a range of resources and information focusing on rural populations.
Don’t forget to check with your health service Clinical Education and Training Unit, if you have one, or any Clinical Educators that may be working in your region, and your health service Librarian who may be able to refer you to local resources. And of course, talk to your Manager and your team who will have ideas of where you can access clinical training.
