Biomedical communications units and their parent organizations: a survey.

A survey of the 89 biomedical communications units in U.S. institutions offering baccalaureate or higher level programs in the health sciences shows 32 units assigned to the headquarters of academic health centers, 39 assigned to constituent schools within centers, and 18 assigned to single schools not in centers. Sixty-five of the units are perceived to have a high level of importance by their parent organizations. Approximately 50% of the parent organizations authorize some physical decentralization of unit activities. Instructional development support is provided by 81% of the parent organizations, and biomedical communications units are delegated this responsibility twice as frequently as are other units within these organizations.