[The contribution of clinical research to improved patient care]

In a simplistic view, clinicians eagerly await the publication of new research results which they can incorporate into their patient care. However, the transfer of research findings into patient care is complex and it is not always possible to detect the effects of individual studies in improved diagnostic and therapeutic routines. Consequently, the relevance of clinical research is undervalued. There are several examples from across the field of medicine and surgery, which illustrate the importance of clinical studies for the quality of patient care. Clinical research must be closely related to clinical care to ensure that the research aims formulated reflect clinical dilemmas within the setting of patient care. Yet, it is even more important to understand the impact which the participation of physicians and their patients in studies has on the quality of care provided. The standardisation of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the preparation of clinical studies may yield an effect on the health status of patients; this might be more substantial than the effect of the actual intervention studied. Clinicians and researchers should acknowledge the importance of medical science for the quality of patient care.