The article analyzes the applicability of the innovation action research method for activities related to the preparation of a concept of a costing standard for healthcare providers which is subject to legal regula-tion. This legislation regulates the way providers, reporting data for the purpose of the regulated pricing of health services, identify and calculate costs. A 39-month long research project was carried out in ac-cordance with the innovation action research approach, which resulted in the creation of a novel concept of a costing model. The generation of new knowledge occurred as a result of a collaboration between researchers and practitioners, which is a basic assumption of action research. The consecutive steps of the research have been characterized in order to present the influence of the research method on the devel-opment and modification of the initial concept.