History and structure
The Danish Institute for Health Services Research (DSI) is an independent non-profit research organization set up by State, Danish Regions and Local Government Denmark.

Mission
The aim of the institute is to provide an improved basis for the work of the planning and management authorities in the health services. Collecting, examining, and disseminating information, carrying out research and development tasks and theoretical and practical counselling does this. The main areas of activity include hospitals, primary health care, community health services, and the pharmaceutical sector.

How DSI works
In general, DSI performs research and provides advisory services in areas of Health Services Research and Health Policy Research. The main areas of competence include Health Economics (economic evaluation and planning, financing and organization, and measurement of productivity and effectiveness), Pharmacoeconomics, Health Technology Assessment, Health and Hospital Planning, Health Informatics, Management (Quality Assurance and Development, Consumer Involvement, and Human Resource Development) and Organisation.

DSI has a staff of around 50 persons (biginning of year 2008) headed by Director Jes Søgaard, professor of Health Economics. The research staff consists of 29 persons, including doctors, nurses, sociologists, economists, political scientists and, persons with competence in public health informatics. DSI offers a multidisciplinary and cross-disciplinary scientific approach to health services research, and in addition to its permanent staff, DSI has a network of associated external consultants representing a range of disciplines.

DSI has an annual budget of approximately 6.6 million US$. 48% is covered by research grants and consultive activities, 48% is covered by a block grant from the Danish regions, and the remainder is funded through post-graduate training, courses and the organization of conferences, seminars, and workshops.

Dissemination activities
DSI performs assessments in the areas mentioned above, often as a part of a comprehensive evaluation commissioned by the Danish Centre for Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment (DACEHTA). Many assessments are published by DSI as peer reviewed reports.

DSI has its own library and information service, with a bibliographic database including more than 30 000 titles and abstracts, and over 300 Danish and international journals on subscription.

Future plans
Where appropriate, DSI will continue to support and participate in international collaboration such as INAHTA, HTAi, Nordic collaboration, and European Union projects.