The article discusses the present trends of the policies and health system organizations and services. It identifies the problems that at the moment demand the development of investigations with results that may support the formulation and implementation of proposal of changes in the personnel qualification and health practices. The paper also identifies the thematic areas and discusses the new objects of investigation being constituted highlighting the predicament of the political subjects in health, the redefinition of the role of the state and the issues of the health markets another concern is the impact of the policies, programs and health services in the context of economic structural adjustment of Latin America and in special Brazil. Having analyzed the present trends of scientific production in the field of health systems and services it points to the growing interest for the evaluative research. Next it discusses the articulation strategies among the teaching research institutions and the services, notably the establishment of partnerships for the development of activities of technical cooperation. Such strategies have placed new challenges and opportunities for the consolidation of not only the investigation nuclei but also the very Investigation Net system and services .
health investigation; health practices; human resources; health system