Development of a novel and more holistic approach for assessing impact in health and medical research: the Research Impact Assessment Framework.

Considered investment in health and medical research (HMR) is critical for fostering a healthcare system that is sustainable, effective, responsive, and innovative. While several tools exist to measure the impact of research, few assess the research environment that nurtures and supports impactful research and the strategic alignment of research with societal needs. This perspective article discusses the limitations of existing assessment tools and presents a novel Research Impact Assessment Framework designed to enable more strategic and targeted investment towards HMR, having the potential for significant public benefit.