"This proposal addresses the objectives of the call for a Health Services Research Conference. Our aim is to identify, evaluate and improve the contribution of HSR to the health policy process at the level of Member States and the EU. For this purpose we will organise a working conference aimed at active involvement of researchers (both established as well as upcoming experts), together with policy makers in the European Union and its Member States. As leading authorities for HSR and policy, they both constitute main target groups but are also crucial sources of information. To prepare the conference we will therefore organise a pre-conference consultation to clarify their needs for HSR inputs. In addition, we will map the main issues in the field of HSR and organise an open call to provide an overview of scientific insights into the topic. Given the broad nature of HSR the field is divided into five main areas, around which the conference will be centred:- Health (care delivery) systems;- Health care organisations and professional practices;- Health Technology Assessment;- Benchmarking & performance indicators (crosscutting all areas);- Relationships between research & policy (crosscutting all areas).Relating the needs from the users of HSR knowledge to the state-of-the-art and research presentations during the conference results in tailored research questions for a policy supportive HSR agenda. The conference will be held in April 2010 and will include invited groups to achieve equal representation of expertise throughout the EU, as well as an open call to interested parties. Its follow-up will consist of the production of a final synthesis report and Policy briefs. These will include a research agenda for the EC and other stakeholders with special attention to the geographical coverage of HSR in Europe. Scientific articles for the research community include a special issue of the Journal of Health Services Research & Policy."