How to match research designs to organisational issues in health and social care

Abstract

In an era of evidence-based healthcare, health and social care professionals are increasingly required to rely on robust evidence to inform their decision-making, not only regarding their clinical practice, but also in the organisation and delivery of their services. While the generation and use of clinical evidence has long been part of the work of healthcare professionals, clinical practitioners are often not as familiar with the use of organisational research evidence as compared with the use of clinical evidence (Vella et al., 2000), or with conducting research themselves to address service priorities (McHugh & Byrne, 2011). This article aims to help professionals identify the most appropriate research designs in tackling different types of organisational issues in health and social care.