2008 ARM Summary

The 2008 Annual Research Meeting (ARM) provided a venue for researchers to share cutting-edge health services research on critical health care delivery system issues with policymakers and providers who can put the research into action.

The meeting, held June 8-10 in Washington, D.C., had record-breaking attendance with more than 2,300 participants and included more than 850 posters and 150 sessions related to 22 themes, including quality, disparities, and coverage and access.

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the ARM, the agenda featured three sessions that honored the past and looked to the future of the field. The 25th Anniversary Founders Panel brought together 10 of the 15 original founders and board members of the Association for Health Services Research (AHSR, the predecessor organization of AcademyHealth). They provided their insights on and experiences with the challenges and triumphs of navigating the uncharted water of the field of health services research. Reflections on the Field of HSR: Where We've Been & What Questions We Left Unanswered offered reflections from seasoned practitioners on what has been achieved by health services research over the past several years and the many challenges remaining for health services researchers. Questions & Challenges for the Next Generation of Health Services Researchers provided insights from a group of younger scholars on what they see as the big issues for research, policy, and practice in the future. In addition to the three panels, the founders were recognized at the opening plenary breakfast and presented with a silver memento to honor their dedication to the field.

Keynote speaker, Drew Altman, president and chief executive officer of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, highlighted an underlying theme of the meeting, building on the past while letting go of the hurdles and looking to the future. His speech stressed the need to frame the case for health reform in both health care terms and as an economic and personal finance issue.

"I think that in this next two-year window, a lot is going to turn [based] on our success or failure in establishing the case for health reform on different grounds, as an economic issue and fundamentally as a pocketbook issue for the American people. And to do this, we health care people are going to have to look at health reform a little bit differently, more as people look at it than as experts look at it," he said.

The meeting also offered cutting-edge research, more than 50 percent of which was peer reviewed; top-notch speakers and experts; policy roundtable debates; skill-building methods workshops; career training; and networking opportunities. In addition, 14 interest groups held pre- and post-conference meetings. Each meeting served as a forum for members to share information, network with their peers, and learn more about specific topics.

The meeting continued the trend of increased student participation. Students were able to take advantage of special opportunities to:

• Network with nationally known experts in health services research, policy, management, and clinical practice at the Meet-the-Experts Student Breakfast;
• Learn about winning strategies for obtaining funding for their research projects and how to advance in health services research at the career-building workshops; and
• Access professional training and job opportunities and fellowships, receive continuing education credits, and résumé review by experts in the health services research field.

The AcademyHealth Awards
During the luncheon plenary sessions, AcademyHealth recognized both new and veteran research and policy professionals through its awards program. The prestigious awards recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the fields of health services research and health policy. The following awards were presented:

• Distinguished Investigator Award to David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P., Massachusetts General Hospital/Partners HealthCare System
• Alice S. Hersh New Investigator Award to Ashish Jha, M.D., M.P.H., Harvard Medical School
• Article-of-the-Year Award to Ming Tai-Seale, Ph.D., Texas A&M Health Science Center
• Dissertation Award to J. Michael McWilliams, M.D., Harvard University
• Best Student Poster Award to Rebecca Anhang Price, M.S., Harvard University.

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