Interview
Outcomes research: Bridging the gap between theory and practice
Neuruppin, 26 May 2025
Maximilian Würz is one of the first students and graduates of the Master course in outcomes research at the MHB. In this interview the 39-year-old consultant in hospital and service planning explains what makes the program so special.
Mr. Würz, you are an MHB graduate in outcomes research. What attracted you to this course in the first place?
Maximilian Würz: The fact that the MHB program in outcomes research brings theory and practice together. I wanted to understand how healthcare works in Germany – especially at the systemic level. Outcomes research offers an optimum of scientific perspectives: it applies scientific methods to explore the daily practice, organization and control of healthcare and on the basis of findings develops suggestions to improve patient-centered care. I was immediately fascinated by the chance to do research work at the MHB and at the same time to help improve actual medical care.
Any surprises?
I was most surprised to find that the field of outcomes research - and thus the MHB program - is very diverse and interdisciplinary. You receive instruction not only on medical fundamentals, but also on epidemiology, health economics, statistics, scientific methodology, ethics and political correlations in the health system. This wide range proved to be exciting but also challenging and involved frequent changes between mindsets and perspectives. Another positive challenge was the fact that the MHB had just started this program, which left students much room for proactive collaboration, feedback and pioneering work: quite a rewarding experience.
Healthcare in Germany is consistently faced with major challenges for a variety of reasons. In your opinion, how can outcomes research contribute to mastering these tasks and improving patient care?
Outcomes research plays a key role in coping with current and future challenges in healthcare provision. It analyses the degree to which medical services and health options actually reach patients, beyond guidelines and ideal conditions. This concerns the effectiveness of therapies, but also availability, quality, economic efficiency and fairness in healthcare under everyday conditions. Outcomes researchers systematically investigate real-life care, supply gaps and regional differences to gain insights as a basis for political and practical decision-making. They reveal potential to improve processes, use resources more efficiently or involve patients to a greater extent. A complex and continuously evolving health system, challenged by demographic change, shortage of skilled personnel and increasing chronification of diseases, is in need of evidence-based and practical approaches. Outcomes research can provide decisive impetus for more patient orientation, efficiency and fairness in the long term.
Do you remember a particular project or an insight from your studies as a formative experience, or something which may even have changed your view on the health system?
One project I remember in particular was a research assignment on: Intersectoral and cross-institutional cooperation in child and adolescent psychiatry/psychotherapy in the area 3 Havelland-Fläming (Brandenburg) prior to, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim was to see how to facilitate access to health options and early intervention specifically for children and adolescents with special needs of psychiatric care. It became very clear how often interface problems, communication gaps and insufficient coordination between the actors involved can hinder or even prevent successful treatment. I was much impressed to realize that many of these deficiencies are not caused by lack of knowhow or goodwill on the part of people or institutions involved but by structural hurdles within the system. This realization marked my perspective on healthcare. I have come to understand that good healthcare requires structures that work, good collaboration between professional groups and above all a consistent focus on patient needs.
What is your advice for people interested in studying outcomes research? Which qualifications or interests are required or recommended?
My advice for everybody with an interest in studying outcomes research: what you should bring along is curiosity – above all, about complex correlations in the health system. This is the right subject for you if you want to know not only what an intervention is about but how and why certain care structures work (or do not work). What helps is an interest in scientific work, a basic understanding of statistics and the readiness for interdisciplinary approaches, i.e. for thinking out of the box. Other important factors are communicative skills and an instinct for social and societal matters as outcomes research is always concerned with humans and their life realities. The openness of the MHB program to a wide range of backgrounds made the beginning easier for me. I never felt a need to adapt to fixed structures, quite the opposite: diverse perspectives were actively encouraged.
And which professional perspectives do you see for graduates?
Graduation opens up a broad range of possibilities. There is the classical option of research at universities or institutes; there are interesting openings in ministries, with health insurers, professional associations, consulting companies or in clinics and health facilities. The above-mentioned topics will gain importance in coming years, specifically in view of demographic change, shortage of skilled personnel and the growing significance of ecology, digitization and prevention. Outcomes research is a subject with a future.