Engaging in Research Improves Healthcare Performance?

Submitted by GAtherton on 26 October 2016

A recent study review by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) in the UK looked at the potential benefits to patients of participating in clinical research studies.

Many patients volunteer to be involved in studies and are a vital part of that work – in fact the research would not proceed without them. Theirs is often a selfless act in the hope that they might help better the understanding of the health problem they live with. Of course they stand to gain from any improvements that the work might bring to diagnostics and treatment of their disease but are there any other benefits?

This new study looks at 33 published research papers for potential impacts on patient care involving hospitals in several different countries (US, Canada, UK). in 28/33 papers positive impacts were recorded on quality or outcome for the participating patients. In seven of these studies the patients were more likely to get better standards of care at hospitals undertaking research. Some of this improvement was thought to be because the type of hospital capable of carrying out such detailed research were more likely to have facilities associated with excellent patient care, but there were also likely to be higher standards of doctor:patient and doctor:doctor communication needed during highly collaborative research projects that could play a part in improving care. 

Many of the improvements in patient care highlighted in this review are already being implemented in the UK NHS.