The Center for Health Services Research studies health care services, systems and providers and their influence on patient outcomes and population health.

In 2006, U.S. health care costs reached $2.1 trillion, or $7,206 per person. More than 12 million people work in the U.S. health care system.

CHSR is part of the Institute for Health Research and Policy housed at the University of Illinois at Chicago. To conduct its research, the center collaborates with managed care and public health care delivery systems, agencies concerned with medical education and manpower in health professions, the University of Illinois Medical Center, state and local health care providers, and community centers that provide health care services. View our partners [1].

Jack Zwanziger [2], professor of health policy and administration, directs the center.

CHSR researchers currently aim to:

• Improve tobacco cessation by assessing health care utilization and costs [3]of smokers receiving pharmacotherapy and behavioral cessation treatment during routine visits to primary care clinics.
• Improve the services of public agencies and community organizations with health missions by developing research-based methods on evaluation and planning processes.
• Catalyze the development of new clinical research by training and mentoring clinicians in the development of research skills. [4]

As part of the University of Illinois at Chicago, CHSR mentors the development of research skills among clinicians across campus in the Clinical Research Training Program.