Evidence-based decision making is becoming increasingly important for today's health care organizations. Health care professionals must find sound and innovative ways to use research to inform organizational policies and procedures related to a variety of topics.

To prepare for this Discussion, review the websites in this week's Learning Resources, which provide valuable information on key issues in health care today. Then, reflect on the following questions:

What are the key issues in health care right now? How is research used-or how could it be used-in each of these areas by health care organizations?
Do different types of health care organizations encounter different research questions and/or challenges that involve research? If so, how? What are the implications of this for health care professionals?
In addition to the above, be sure to consider how your knowledge and awareness of health services research has grown throughout this course.

By Day 4, post a comprehensive response to the following:
Identify an important issue that you believe needs to be researched, given current events in the health care field. Explain why research related to this issue is important from an organizational perspective.
Describe how you would use research related to this issue to inform your thinking and decision making as a health care professional. Note any insights that you have gained as you have progressed through this course and comment on how these insights will be of benefit to you in the future.