New study shows benefits to patients from receiving treatment at hospitals that actively carry out research

Date: Nov-14-2013A widely held assumption that patients benefit from receiving treatment in hospitals active in research has been demonstrated by a new study.

Researchers from the Faculty of Health, Social and Education at Kingston University and St George's, University of London working with partners at the Health Economics Research Group at Brunel University, London, looked at research papers in a diverse range of areas such as breast cancer treatment and the rehabilitation of veterans with war injuries.

The review, funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research Programme, was carried out in three stages. The researchers identified more than 10,000 academic papers to be considered for the study and eventually identified 33 papers for inclusion in a focused review.

Overall there were positive results of receiving treatment in active research environments as, for example, it in many cases led to ground-breaking treatment options being taken up earlier or clinicians paying closer attention to research in their area of expertise.

Of those, 28 demonstrated that research activities improve health-care performance.

Seven of these also reported some improvement in health outcomes. For the rest, the improved care took the form of improved ways of implementing processes of care.

A larger number of papers were considered in a wider review which showed that where clinicians take part in research it can improve health care for patients as ground breaking methods can be implemented and considered faster.

There is also evidence that those hospitals where research is closely linked to patient care achieve better patient outcomes compared to other hospitals where research is not a priority.

Dr Annette Boaz, a Reader in Health Care Research at Kingston and St George's said: "There is a widely held assumption that research engagement improves health-care performance at various levels, but until now very little direct empirical evidence has been drawn together.

"Organisations that have deliberately integrated the research function into organisational structures demonstrate how research engagement can, among other factors, contribute to improved health-care performance."

Courtesy: Medical News Today Note: Any medical information available in this news section is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional.