Revolution in healthcare: New master's degree in health services research launched!

Revolution in healthcare: New master's degree in health services research launched!

The master's degree program in health care research at the MHB offers a unique opportunity for students to get involved in the exciting and critical area of ​​health care. Maximilian Würz, 39 years old and working in hospital and care planning, is one of the first graduates of this innovative program. The aim of the course is to understand healthcare in Germany on a systemic level and thus represents a bridge between theory and practice. How MHB reports, the complex facets of everyday medical life as well as the organization and control of health care are examined as part of the course.

Health care research has proven to be crucial in developing suggestions for improvement in patient-centered care. The master's degree program at the MHB is the first of its kind in Germany and focuses on identifying and solving supply problems in the German healthcare system. This is particularly relevant as the challenges in the healthcare system are constantly increasing due to demographic change and the shortage of skilled workers. The course has a research orientation and a strong practical focus, supported by the medical faculty of the University of Heidelberg, which is located at one of the largest institutes for health services research in Germany Heidelberg represents.

Diverse content and interdisciplinary learning

The course is interdisciplinary and covers a wide range of topics, ranging from epidemiology and health economics to statistics, ethical issues and political contexts. Würz emphasizes the importance of curiosity about complex relationships in the healthcare system and emphasizes that a basic understanding of statistics and interdisciplinary thinking are among the essential skills.

One of Würz's formative projects was his research work on intersectoral cooperation in child and adolescent psychiatry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this work, he realized that many problems in health care can be traced back to structural hurdles that have less to do with a lack of knowledge or will. The experiences from this project illustrate the strong connection between theory and practical application that characterizes the course.

Career prospects and social influence

Graduates of the master's program find themselves in a wide variety of professional fields. Possible fields of activity include research, ministries, health insurance companies, professional associations, consulting companies and practice development. Due to the continued relevance of healthcare research topics, the demand for experts in this area is expected to increase. The research discipline is also necessary to demonstrate and analyze the effectiveness of treatments in everyday care and their accessibility BMBF highlights.

In addition, health services research-based research is also funded by the federal government. In particular, the BMBF's transformative approaches attempt to develop solutions for rural care issues and palliative care. These measures aim to ensure that research results are applied in practical care and that patients' quality of life is improved.

In view of these developments, it is clear that health services research will continue to gain in importance in the coming years, especially with regard to the challenges arising from demographic change and increasing digitalization in the healthcare system.