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About the center for health services research

The CHSR is a requirements-driven initiative developed in direct response to the 2014 Military Health System (MHS) Review.  This document identified a critical gap in the ability of the MHS to use its wealth of data for decision making and iterative learning, and recommended a dedicated program of training and analytics to build this capacity for current and future efforts.  Although the size of the staff and annual budget are small compared to the annual MHS budget, CHSR develops the necessary capacity and produces timely relevant, translatable findings to support the MHS and the Nation through the following avenues:

• Education and Training: Providing training opportunities for those who support military Health Services Research (HSR), educating students and faculty in HSR methods, and supporting researcher access to grants and awards.

• Research: Conducting research that measurably supports the MHS strategic goals and objectives and contributes to learning and policy across the MHS; expanding USU’s HSR capacity, and becoming recognized as the thought leader for military HSR across MHS, DoD, and the Nation.

• Direct Support Services: Responding to requirements and ad hoc queries generated from organizations and units within DoD and the MHS, particularly emerging HA/DHA priorities, and establishing enduring relationships with MHS customers.

• Service to the Nation: Support to civilian HSR organizations, the interagency and national efforts on demand including the Veterans Administration and the White House.

Mission

The CHSR supports the readiness of America’s Warfighter and improved health outcomes for the military community by building capacity throughout the Military Health System (MHS) to conduct health services research that support MHS goals, the Department of Defense (DoD) mission, and the national security strategy.

Vision

By the end of CY2027, the CHSR will be nationally recognized as the leader in MHS Health Services Research. We will produce actionable, outcomes-based policy recommendations and direct support that will improve health outcomes throughout the MHS and will be instrumental in supporting the MHS as it reimagines current care models and the healthcare experience throughout the continuum of care.

Center for Health Services Research Strategic Plan 2024-2028

Why Health Services Research Is Important

The ASD(HA) and the Defense Health Agency (DHA) must have timely, comprehensive information on health service functions for service members and beneficiaries to inform policy and program decisions on the utilization and cost of healthcare services.

The CHSR addresses healthcare service utilization rates, provider practice, patterns of care, financing structures and readiness for the MHS. As an approximately $53 billion per year health system, health services research capacity is an essential contribution to informing and reforming the overall MHS. Our goal is to ensure evidence-informed policy and decision-making for the MHS.