Research Rising: A Commitment to Advancing Human Life
Clinical Trials Day is an opportunity to recognize the progress of clinical research—but even more so, it is a moment to honor the people and the purpose that continue to move that research forward.
A foundation of medical advancement, clinical trials transform questions into evidence, innovation into standards of care, and hope into real outcomes for patients. And while clinical research professionals often work behind the scenes, your impact is profound.
This year's theme, Research Rising, reflects the strength and resilience of the global clinical research community. At a time when financial pressures, regulatory complexity, and rapidly evolving technologies are reshaping the research landscape, clinical trials continue to rise thanks to the people who remain dedicated to advancing human health.
At HCA Healthcare, that dedication is grounded in our mission: above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life. This guides our approach to research, and we are proud to serve as a sponsor of Clinical Trials Day.
Research at HCA Healthcare
Across our network of 189 hospitals and 2,600 ambulatory sites of care, research is a key component of our clinical story. Through collaboration, inquiry, and the scale of our health system, we are advancing research together—connecting people, partners, and communities to make clinical trials accessible to more patients in more places.
The HCA Healthcare Research Institute—the multispecialty clinical research organization of HCA Healthcare—helps connect research, innovation, and care across our network. In 2025, the institute conducted more than 500 research studies across 54 sites with 227 sponsors and partners.
Our research activity reinforces our commitment to keeping patients at the center of everything we do, while emphasizing four key components of research at HCA Healthcare:
Investment in our people
Commitment to learning
Power of strategic partnerships
The scale of HCA Healthcare
Rising to the Challenge
Clinical research today demands more than technical expertise. It requires perseverance, adaptability, and an unwavering focus on patients. Across the research ecosystem, our people are navigating increasing operational and regulatory demands while continuing to uphold the highest standards of scientific rigor, ethics, and safety. Your work must ensure that trials remain credible, compliant, and centered on those who matter most—the individuals and families who place their trust in research.
Despite these challenges, research is rising to meet them. It rises through thoughtful innovation that improves how trials are designed and delivered, expands access to participation, and strengthens the evidence that informs care. When technology and data are combined with intention, they become powerful tools that enable efficiency and insight without losing sight of the human experience at the heart of every study.
Research also rises through collaboration. Progress in clinical trials is never achieved in isolation. It depends on partnerships among health systems, sponsors, regulators, academic institutions, and research professionals who share a responsibility to strengthen the research enterprise. It rises when diversity in research participants is prioritized, helping to ensure that clinical trials reflect the communities they aim to serve and that advances in care benefit all populations.
Most importantly, research rises through strong commitment to helping patients.
At the heart of this work are our people. The individuals across HCA Healthcare who make clinical trials possible each day are the true drivers of progress. From investigators and research coordinators to operational and support teams, it is your expertise, dedication, curiosity, and compassion that advance discovery and bring innovation to life. Investing in the people who power clinical research is a key priority for HCA Healthcare, because we know that when we support and develop our teams, we strengthen the future of research itself.
Every clinical trial represents a commitment to people who are seeking better options, improved outcomes, and hope for the future. Patients who choose to participate in research demonstrate extraordinary courage and generosity. Their trust underscores why resilience in clinical research matters, and why the pursuit of innovation must always be anchored in compassion and integrity.
Grounded in Gratitude
On this Clinical Trials Day, we recognize the determination of clinical research professionals around the world who continue to rise above complexity and constraint. Your expertise, perseverance, and shared purpose are shaping the future of medicine.
As a proud sponsor of Clinical Trials Day, HCA Healthcare stands with the research community in advancing science, strengthening clinical trials, and improving lives. Guided by our mission, we remain committed to supporting research that elevates care today and creates healthier futures for generations to come.
Thank you to all who make this meaningful work possible. Together, we are steadfast in our support of Research Rising - in service of patients, progress, and the care and improvement of human life.
Michelle Rowe, Vice President of Research, HCA Healthcare