Time for Innovative Dialogue on Health Systems Research

Abstract

A forthcoming report by the World Health Organization (WHO) on evidence for policy is already fuelling passionate debate, especially among scientists. Opinions are divided: some scientists believe strongly in the systematic assessment of evidence on the effectiveness of health system interventions and reforms; others are skeptical. This is not just another academic debate. Health policy is a noisy field involving many stakeholders. Health reform approaches that seem promising in practice are assessed critically by institutional researchers, whose methodological dictums are sceptically received by field practitioners.