Health Services Research Center

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Catalyzing Excellence in Healthcare Delivery Science

The translation of cutting-edge research into interventions that enhance the health and healthcare of Northeast Ohio and the nation is integral to the mission of University Hospitals, which is "To Teach, To Heal, To Discover."

The Health Services Research Center at University Hospitals was established in January 2024 and specializes in healthcare delivery science, with research programs focusing on health disparities, health outcomes, health promotion and health technology. The vision of the Center is to catalyze excellence and national leadership in the development, evaluation and translation of evidence and policies to enhance the efficacy, efficiency and equity of healthcare delivery to improve health and well-being outcomes at the individual and population levels.

The Health Services Research Center is organized in pursuit of four primary objectives:

Accelerate innovation in health services research by investing in state-of-the-art infrastructure and strategically prioritizing local, national and international partnerships.
Build a cohort of outstanding extramural-funded faculty investigators specializing in health services research.
Create a range of education, mentoring and continuing professional development opportunities for training the next generation of health services researchers and faculty career advancement.
Develop a structure to maximize the population and community impact of health research.

What is Health Services Research?

Health services research examines both individual and population health through a multidisciplinary scientific lens to better understand the mechanisms and processes that optimize healthcare quality, safety and value. As a result, health services research must take into account determinants and outcomes from the perspectives of individuals, families, communities, organizations and the larger contexts of healthcare access and delivery. To put it simply, health services research investigates the access, delivery, financing and management of patient-centered, high-quality health care to improve health and well-being for all, using scientific methods from a variety of medical and non-medical fields.

Health Disparities

The health disparities research program investigates the impact of preventable variations in the opportunity to attain optimal health for socially disadvantaged racial, ethnic and other demographic groups and communities. Investigators examine the reasons for and consequences of health disparities as well as develop strategies to mitigate and eradicate them.

Health Outcomes

The health outcomes research program investigates the impact of health interventions on outcomes from the perspectives of patients including their families, healthcare providers and the healthcare system. Investigators examine the utility and value of interventions to determine what works and what does not in terms of improving health-related quality of life.

Health Promotion

The health promotion research program investigates modifiable health risk factors to prevent disease and enhance disease management. Investigators examine health risk and protective variables, assess policies and programs that influence health behavior, and determine best practices that are sustainable and scalable at the population level.

Health Technology

The health technology research program investigates digital health technologies to improve access to high-quality healthcare while also adding value for patients and their families. Investigators examine technology-enabled interventions across the six domains of quality healthcare, as well as technology-enabled methodological approaches such as artificial intelligence, big data and machine learning to improve disease diagnosis and management.

Dedicated to Improving Healthcare

Meet the Health Services Research Center team and discover how their expertise supports impactful research across University Hospitals.

Meet the Team

Director’s Message

Samudragupta Bora, PhD

I am honored to provide scientific, academic and administrative leadership for the bold and ambitious strategic vision of the recently established Health Services Research Center at University Hospitals. This is a health system-wide initiative that encompasses all clinical departments of University Hospitals. We strive to build a nationally and internationally recognized research center rooted in team science, with strong multidisciplinary partnerships that elevate health services research to the highest levels of excellence, distinguished by methodological rigor, innovation and out-of-the-box thinking. The Health Services Research Center endeavors to accelerate the translation of cutting-edge research into clinical practice in Northeast Ohio, the United States, and throughout the world, ensuring the delivery and accessibility of high-quality clinical care to the patients and communities it serves.

Founding Director, Health Services Research Center
University Hospitals Research & Education Institute
Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine