Visibility of healthcare research institutes through the Web of Science database

The strategic importance of healthcare research institutes (HRIs) in health sciences research in Spain has motivated this analysis of the feasibility of studing their contribution to the Spanish scientific output through their presence as a signatory institution in the publications.

We identified the output of the HRIs in the Web of Science database, comparing their observed output (the institutes are explicitly listed in the authors' workplace) and potential output (estimated based on the linked hospitals).

The studies based on scientific publications do not help us reliably identify the contribution of the HRIs because their observed production is much lower than the potential output, although their visibility tends to increase over time. This article highlights the importance of HRI members including the institute among their work addresses to increase the visibility of these organisations and to facilitate studies aimed at assessing their activity in the national and international context.