IQuESt is the largest center for health systems research in the Southwest and houses over 200 faculty, post-doctoral fellows, trainees, and research staff in the Texas Medical Center. Since 2007, the number of HSR-funded investigators has more than doubled from 35 to 81 faculty members. Moreover, total grant funding has more than tripled, from $8.4 million (FY07) to over $29.9 million (FY23), with over 94 percent from externally sponsored grants and contracts (112 active projects). During 2023, our investigators published 307 manuscripts in 195 peer-reviewed journals. Our work, highlighted in our IQuESt “Hall of Fame,” has contributed to 58 papers cited in 15 Institute of Medicine and National Academy of Medicine reports, 125 papers cited in 65 clinical guidelines for patient care, one paper selected by Faculty of 1000 (F1000) as one of the top 2 percent of all published articles in the biology and medicine sciences, and five papers cited in U.S. Centers for Disease Control-recommended programs.
IQuESt investigators conduct high-quality scientific research that improves the health of Veterans and patients across the nation and ensures the patient-centered dissemination and implementation of scientific discoveries. IQuESt provides an inclusive environment to support, mentor, and develop outstanding research leaders. IQuESt research extends from patient experience to clinical practice and outcomes of care, to the development and evaluation of health care policy. IQuESt research has been disseminated to key policy makers, healthcare industry leaders, clinicians, influential stakeholders, local and national media, as well as the best academic journals and professional scientific societies. IQuESt investigators employ quantitative and qualitative research methods and multi-dimensional study design in research involving primary data collection. IQuEST is nationally renowned for its excellence in research involving large national healthcare databases. Investigators are supported by programming personnel, administrative personnel, and a full range of research support staff.
Within the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), IQuESt faculty represent nine sections, including Health Services Research, Nephrology, Cardiology, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Geriatrics, Hematology and Oncology, Rheumatology, Pulmonary and Critical Care, and Infectious Diseases. In addition, faculty represents eight BCM departments: Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Radiation Oncology, Surgery, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Neurology. Most of our faculty hold appointments at BCM, although some have appointments at The University of Texas (UT) Health Science Center-Houston, the University of Houston, The UT School of Biomedical Informatics, Texas A&M University, and Rice University.