The topic of health care governance has taken up a prime spot on the policy agenda in recent years. NIVEL research focuses on the health care system in general, intentional and unintentional effects of regulated market-driven health care, the choices health insurers make when purchasing health care and its effects on the quality and accessibility of care. This research links in with research into the effects of legislation in health care, with macro level research into the effects of the changes to the system, meso level research into, for instance, the right to file complaints, and micro level research into patients’ ability to speak up for themselves.

Finally, research into quality systems, and the related research into patient safety, provides an insight into the way health care facilities and professionals are organizing their care in both a better and a safer way.

NIVEL research in the field of governance distinguishes itself from a lot of administrative and policy research because the focus is not primarily on the way governance is shaped, but mainly on the effects different types of institutional governance have on care, on patients and on care providers and professionals.