Researchers Recognized for Impact on
Health Care Delivery System

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 12, 2007)—Two research studies, one that framed the debate over health care reform in Massachusetts and one that affected upgrades to multiple child restraint laws, were presented with the annual Health Services Research (HSR) Impact Award today.

Jack Holahan, Ph.D., director of the Health Policy Center at the Urban Institute and his colleagues will receive the award for research that contributed key information to help frame the health care reform debate in Massachusetts. One of the team's critical contributions was to demonstrate that the health and economic benefits of expanding coverage far outweighed the additional spending needed to make it a reality. Key findings of the research team included an accurate count of uninsured in Massachusetts , an estimate of total health care spending in the state devoted to care for the uninsured, and analysis of the resources necessary to finance coverage for the uninsured, including the need for additional spending beyond that already used to provide care to the uninsured. In April 2006, Massachusetts implemented the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Plan, which incorporated insights form the research.

Flaura Winston, Ph.D. , associate professor of pediatrics in at the Uiversity of Pennsylvania and principal investigator for Partners for Child Passenger Safety (PCPS) will receive the award for research that underscores the need for improved public education campaigns to increase appropriate car seat use, particularly among those families at highest risk for crash injury. PCPS studies have demonstrated that using age- and size-appropriate child restraints can reduce the risk of injury to children resulting from a motor vehicular crash to less than one percent. Dr. Winston's research has resulted in upgrades to child restraint laws in 33 states to include requirements for booster seats as well as two federal laws on child restraint systems.

Health services research is the multidisciplinary field of scientific investigation that studies how social factors, financing systems, organizational structures and processes, health technologies, and personal behaviors affect access to health care, the quality and cost of health care, and ultimately our health and well-being. Its research domains are individuals, families, organizations, institutions, communities, and populations.

“A key part of AcademyHealth's mission is to promote the translation of research. We are excited to recognize these two outstanding examples of research that have been successfully translated into policy and practice and had a significant impact on our health care system,” says David Helms, President & CEO of AcademyHealth.

Now in its second year, the AcademyHealth HSR Impact Award identifies outstanding examples of the positive impact of health services research on health policy or practice. The winners will each receive $2,000 and complimentary registration to the 2007 National Health Policy Conference (NHPC) where the awards will be presented. Additionally, the 2008 Call for Nominations will be announced.

AcademyHealth is the professional home for health services researchers, policy analysts, and practitioners, and a leading, non-partisan resource for the best in health research and policy. AcademyHealth promotes interaction across the health research and policy arenas by bringing together a broad spectrum of players to share their perspectives, learn from each other, and strengthen their working relationships. For more information, view our Web site at www.academyhealth.org.

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