Research
The Advisory Board researches and publishes reports on the best clinical and general management practices in American health care. We organize our research into three categories: Strategic Research, Original Inquiry and Internet News. Career opportunities in research include:
Strategic Research: The Search for Original Insight
The charter for our strategic research teams is to work in common enterprise with the best of America's universities, health systems, medical groups, and health care corporations. Our strategic research teams master the intellectual terrain, identify the most progressive competitors, detail best (and worst) business strategy, operational and clinical practices, and present their findings in major studies and lectures to the industry.
Analyst, Strategic Research
Analysts and Senior Analysts compose the "front lines" of our research. They contribute significantly to the direction of studies through extensive primary and secondary research, rigorous quantitative and qualitative testing of ideas, and graphical and written presentation of their findings. The lion's share of our Analysts' work involves extensive expert interviewing, primarily by phone. Conducting interviews and gathering data from across the country, our strategy research teams work together to complete more than 30 major studies, speeches, and practice briefs and case studies each year, typically requiring six months or more of intensive research and analysis each.
Consultant, Strategic Research
Consultants and Senior Consultants assume an integral role in the direction and delivery of our strategy studies. They master an extensive body of knowledge through primary and secondary research, define drivers of industry change and business behavior, develop and test hypotheses for study frameworks, and create case study profiles for our books and speeches. Our Consultants' work involves extensive expert interviewing, analysis, substantial writing, and some public speaking before senior audiences.
Original Inquiry
The Advisory Board's aspiration is to serve as an unflagging, engaged, intelligent personal staff for our members. Nowhere is this commitment more evident than in our Original Inquiry service, offering timely, customized information on topics of interest to our members including new business development, advertising, product line planning, consumer marketing, public relations, service quality, and strategy and governance. Advisory Board members use original inquiry reports as a method of collecting information to inform important business decisions and benchmarking efforts.
Research Associate, Original Inquiry
During their initial four months at the Advisory Board, Associates receive in-depth research, writing, analysis, and industry training. Considered "generalists," Associates gain broad exposure to a wide variety of issues and problems facing our members. Within six to twelve months, Associates have the opportunity to focus their efforts and develop expertise in one of numerous specialty areas. Our Associates gather strategic information and concluding insights from literature searches and telephone interviews with senior executives at hospitals, health systems, academic institutions, associations, consulting firms, and out-of-industry corporations. Ownership of content terrain and projects is essential to an Associate's daily work. Types of reports Research Associates produce include:
- Objective third-party profiles of vendors and consultants serving the health care industry
- Oral or 5-to 20-page written reports summarizing interview and literature findings with practical implementation tactics and qualitative trend analysis
- Compilation of best current literature from hundreds of journals and industry publications on a specific topic
- List of industry experts or health care executives with special knowledge or experience willing to speak directly with the membership
Research Manager, Original Inquiry
With an average tenure of 12 months, Associates may be promoted to the position of Manager. Our Managers oversee a team of three to five Associates, maintaining responsibility for their development—hiring, training, and providing performance feedback—and their work—structuring research projects and editing final products. In addition, our Managers negotiate research projects and manage relationships with 20 to 35 members representing four to six regional territories.
Internet News
Our Internet news services offer the whole of the Advisory Board's research online—the right information, to the right person, at the right time—to our more than 2,600 member institutions across the globe, with six daily and weekly Internet news publications.
Staff Writer, Internet News
Writers are members of small but dynamic teams determining the most relevant news and insights to key decision makers in the specific terrain. Daily responsibilities of Staff Writers include the following:
- Conduct online and paper-based searches of national and regional news sources
- Write short summaries of the day's relevant news stories (3 to 4 per day)
- Research leads for interesting news stories
- Craft short features and news analyses of health care trends and events
Editor, Internet News
Across time, outstanding Staff Writers may be promoted to Editors of the daily and weekly Internet publications, thereby managing a discrete Internet delivery channel of content to our members. Responsibilities include the following:
- Select, edit and write stories for publication
- Master specific content area
- Format the day's document; oversee publication of the online version
- Manage and train Staff Writers and Associate Editors
- Monitor relevant trends to ensure comprehensive news coverage