The development of priorities for health services research. The National Center, 1974-76.

The priorities published by the National Center for Health Services Research/DHEW in 1975 were the result of more than a year of consultation between federal officials and members of the research community. The process of priority development emerged from an interpretation of the history of the National Center, of health services research as an activity, and of the previous experience of various research agencies. This paper is a combined memoir and intellectual history of the priority development process in the National Center by a participant who, because of his position, was somewhat detached from events.