Why has health services research become more visible in recent years?
A. Health services and policy research has become an essential discipline in recent years. This increase in interest and activity has been driven by the rapid changes in health care delivery systems; the perceived and real limitations of health care resources; the increasing role of consumer choice in health care; the realization that health care professionals know the true value of only part of what they do; the recognition that health care professionals and policy makers rely heavily on anecdotes rather than on data to formulate and assess policies and practices; and the greater technical and conceptual ability to quantify various aspects of health and health care.
