Abstract Health services research (HSR) must now integrate the technological and methodological developments of ‘Big Data’ that are transforming health research as a whole. E-health devices, social networks, and electronic medical records (EHR) are all sources that can enrich HSR. For example, social networks have become tools for hospital evaluation (ranking) and patient experience, as well as strategies for the dissemination of prevention messages by health authorities. Electronic medical records make it possible to carry out ‘real-life’ longitudinal studies on the entire population of a territory, offering a vision of the health care pathways in health care services. This cross-sectional view of the use of healthcare services renders possible the description and analysis of the evolution of healthcare networks in space and time. These sources also make offer a better understanding of the disparities in access to and use of healthcare services on various geographical scales. Finally, E-health devices can be used to help organize and optimize care. However, we must remain cautious in the face of this acceleration of information flows and the mass of data that are only of interest if they bring value to our research and do not endanger the users of healthcare services: respect for ethical rules, respect for the rights of individuals, or rights, duties and responsibilities in the use of artificial intelligence tools that can be used in big data.