Innovation: Health Services

Health Services

The mission of health services research within the Department of Urology is two-fold:

To improve upon the accessibility, quality, value and consistency of healthcare for urologic diseases through carefully executed research.
To train students, residents and fellows in the fundamentals of health services research and prepare them for independent research careers.

Our faculty integrates fellows and residents into our research projects, allowing them to lead their own studies while they learn from our experts. At the same time, we partner with colleagues in the Department of Biostatistics, the Institute for Medicine and Public Health, and across the Vanderbilt University Medical Center to ensure we achieve the best possible outcomes.

Our health services research attempts to improve the overall quality of urologic care in the broader population by studying how care is provided and improvement methods, health disparities and barriers to health and healthy policy.

Healthcare Disparities

When we study healthcare disparities, we identify variations in care based on demographic characteristics – such as gender and race – to highlight opportunities for improvement in health care delivery.

Clinical Epidemiology Research

Clinical epidemiology research projects identify trends in the distribution of diseases and treatments in the population.

Quality of Care and Improvement

We study the quality of care patients receive by measuring and identifying variations in care and opportunities to improve healthcare quality.

Patient Centered Outcomes

Our faculty studies patient-reported outcomes of treatment and survivorship, such as health-related quality of life.

Health Decision Science

Our work in health decision science centers on shared decision making in prostate cancer. We are currently funded by PCOR to study the utility of a decision tool for men with localized prostate cancer.

Comparative Effectiveness Research

Comparative effectiveness research compares treatment interventions with respect to their harms and benefits.

Health Policy

Our faculty studies and identifies ways in which health policy influences healthcare delivery.

Student, Resident, and Fellow Involvement

A principal mission of our health services research group is to educate tomorrow’s researchers. We provide residents and fellows with fundamental building blocks of research and mentorship, and they do the rest.