Health Services Research Program, School of Rural Public Health, Texas A&M University System Health Science Center, Texas, USA. phillipscd@srph.tamhsc.edu
This commentary discusses the need for, and the advantages of, a more concise, revised definition of the field of health services research. It argues for a definition that includes not only the topics on which health services research focuses but also the goals of health services research. A number of condensed definitions are provided for consideration.