A health economist, Carrie Colla focuses on physician payment, health insurance markets, and insurance benefit design. Her work is aimed at improving the quality, accessibility, and cost of health care.

Colla’s investigator-initiated research is dedicated to examining health system performance and the effectiveness of payment and delivery system reforms, including accountable care organizations. Her empirical studies include the effects of changes in Medicare reimbursement for physicians and institutional providers on high-need, high-cost patients; the prevalence and drivers of low-value health care services; and labor market effects of health insurance expansions, among others.

Colla has been an investigator for the annual National Survey of Accountable Care Organizations (NSACO) since its inception in 2012, and she is a lead investigator in Dartmouth’s Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Center of Excellence to Study High-Performing Health Care Systems. She also teaches microeconomics and health policy at Dartmouth College.

Colla received her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, and her MA in economics and PhD in health policy from the University of California, Berkeley. She is the past recipient of a SYNERGY Career Development Award from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health.

Read below as Carrie shares her experience as an AcademyHealth member...

Early in my career, a colleague suggested that I submit an abstract to the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting (ARM). I did, and was selected for a podium presentation! Since then, I’ve been a member of AcademyHealth and my involvement has grown and aided my career over the last 12 years. From conference planning committees and mentorship activities to presenting, to opportunities to serve as a reviewer of cutting edge research, AcademyHealth consistently provides avenues for me to engage in the health services research community while simultaneously advancing my career.

Over the years, through my membership in AcademyHealth, I’ve gained advice and feedback from a broad network of experts that has improved my research. I’ve connected with the best and brightest in the field. AcademyHealth offers opportunities to disseminate and promote my work to relevant audiences. I highly recommend AcademyHealth membership if you’re looking to advance in your career.

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