Pillars

  • Advance the Field to Generate Useful, High-Quality Evidence
  • Move Evidence into Policy and Practice

Areas of Emphasis


In its programming, AcademyHealth addresses a broad range of topics across health services and policy research. To ensure we are responsive to a constantly changing health care environment, we also scan for and invest in areas of growing importance to the field. These areas are a lens through which we view new opportunities and enhance existing programs and services. Currently, these areas of emphasis include:

  • Addressing Cost and Value – The pursuit of lower costs and higher value from the health care system is one of the most critical issues of our time. As such, it continues to be a significant area of emphasis for AcademyHealth, our partners and programs.
  • Driving Public and Population Health – There is a growing recognition that health and health care outcomes are significantly impacted by the characteristics of the communities where we live, work and play. To encourage a culture of health and support the evolving role of public health, AcademyHealth works to advance the rigor, relevance and use of health services research to improve public health systems, population health and health equity.
  • Improving the Research Data Infrastructure – The environment for health services research is evolving rapidly, with significant changes in the volume, variety and velocity of data available, and new opportunities for collaboration across sectors. In response, AcademyHealth is working to build an infrastructure of training, methods and governance to support evolving and emerging data streams and address relevant research questions in rigorous and novel ways.
  • Transforming the Delivery System – Increasingly, delivery system leaders are investing in systems to improve access and quality, reduce waste, and deliver better outcomes for individuals. To support these initiatives, AcademyHealth works to engage delivery system leaders with the broader evidence producing community and provide training and support that expands researchers’ capacity to address delivery system challenges.

Organizational Goals

Goal I: Build a Vibrant and Diverse Community for Evidence
Producers and Users

AcademyHealth will grow and strengthen membership and member
engagement, and work with organizational partners to serve as a clear
and strong voice for advancing the field of health services research
and its use in health policy and practice. This work will include the full
spectrum of individuals and organizations that produce and use health
services research, including policymakers, health system leaders,
clinicians and health care providers, and others.

Goal II: Advance the Science of Health Services and Policy
Research Production and Use

The field and methods of health services research continue to evolve to
respond to the changing evidence needs of policy, systems, community
leaders, and individuals. AcademyHealth will leverage its skills and
those of its members and target audiences to advance the scientific
underpinning of health services and policy research, including the
data and methods necessary to produce and use evidence in a rapidly
changing environment. AcademyHealth will grow existing and develop
new programs, projects and services by securing funding; identifying,
cultivating, and engaging new audiences and partner organizations;
increasing visibility through convening and dissemination; and
expanding staff capacity in our areas of emphasis.

Goal III: Move Knowledge into Action Through Synthesis,
Translation, Dissemination, and Technical Assistance

To improve health and the performance of the health system, health
services and policy research evidence must be identified, understood
and effectively applied. AcademyHealth will work with public and
private sector decision makers (including policymakers, delivery
system leaders, public health leaders, purchasers, national stakeholder
organizations, consumer organizations, etc.), to identify priority needs,
promote and translate available evidence, and foster collaborations
among the research, policy and practitioner communities to move
knowledge into action. In support of these efforts, AcademyHealth will
build trusted communities of practice to promote continuous linkage
and exchange between evidence producers and users.

Goal IV: Ensure that AcademyHealth Is a High Performing
Organization, Including Financial Capacity and Work Environment

AcademyHealth can serve its community and achieve its vision only
if it continues to be a financially sound organization with highly
accomplished staff and robust governance and communication
practices. It will pursue mission-aligned programmatic funding,
manage those resources effectively, and attract, train, and retain highly
talented, diverse and motivated staff.