One of the main challenges in health services research is to overcome the structural and professional boundaries restricting the opportunities for cooperation between researchers, clinicians, and practitioners in designing and conducting applied research. In our view, two steps are necessary to strengthen linkage and exchange between organizations and bodies interested in health services research. First, reconnecting the different scientific disciplines and researchers working in the field of health services research is essential. Second, it is necessary to bring both researchers and the users and funders of research together in order to ensure that the research agenda is pursuing the right questions and to foster the translation of the data generated into valuable information for practical decisions. The "German Network for Health Services Research" was launched on May 2, 2006, by 26 representatives of different national medical and public health associations. The aim of this network is to help bridge the gap between the scientific communities on the one hand and between researchers and practitioners on the other hand.