Health Services Research: Building a Common Framework
A Toolkit for Voluntary Health Agencies

Getting Started

Determine Your Goals

The first, and perhaps most important step in meeting planning, is to clearly define the goal or desired outcome.

Depending on your organization's current understanding and use of HSR, goals could include:

• Increasing awareness and understanding of HSR internally
• Increasing awareness and understanding of HSR externally
• Prompting action internally, incorporating HSR in program, policy, and communications work plans
• Prompting action externally

Use the chart below to brainstorm your HSR Roundtable goals.

Determining Your Audience

Your ability to achieve your goals is directly affected by whom you invite to the meeting. Filling the room with the right decision-makers and influencers is essential. Ask yourself:

• Who do you wish to inform or motivate as a result of your HSR meeting?
• Who has the power to affect change in your organization?
• Who influences the people who make decisions within your organization?
• Who do your members and constituents turn to for information?
• Who “has the ear” of your members and leadership?
• What departments should be invited? (i.e., communications, membership, government relations, research)
• Who must you invite?

Depending upon your goals, some audiences to consider include:

• Your organization's leaders
• Researchers
• Research funders and grantmakers
• Communications and government relations staff
• Colleagues and associates from affiliated organizations

Who are your audiences?

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