Health Policy (HP)

Effective translation of clinical research into practice, and of bench into clinical research, can be enhanced by understanding how policies — expressed in laws, regulations, and rules — affect the actions of participants in the health system. These participants include researchers, clinicians, patients, community activists, government officials, insurers, and investors. For example, insurance reimbursement may influence patient and physician attitudes about a new therapy — and thus investor interest in that therapy. The overall goal of the CTSI Health Policy Program is to build a shared understanding among researchers and decision-makers of key policy issues that can affect translation, and how to measure and favorably influence them. Toward this end we are fostering dialogue and research opportunities. The Health Policy Program started in CTSI Year 2.

Goals

1. To foster understanding among translational researchers of the role of health policy in T2 and T1 translational research.

2. To advance translational policy research by identifying key research opportunities and developing research tools.

3. To strengthen dialogue between community decision-makers and translational researchers.

Activities and Services

• Review of UCSF clinical research projects. We are identifying policy issues that may be assessed as part of clinical research. We will offer to consult or collaborate with clinical research teams.
• Provide health policy consultations. We work through Consultation Services to provide consultations on health policy issues, such as cost-effectiveness analysis. If you have a consultation request, contact us at the email below or through Consultation Services.
• Collaborate with UCSF clinical researchers. We plan to conduct policy research with up to 5 clinical projects — piloting, data collection, and/or formal research proposals. Intramural funding will be administered through the Research Allocation Program (RAP).
• Develop courses. We are developing a course in translational policy research, as well as enhancing training in risk adjustment and in decision and cost-effectiveness analysis.

People

James G. Kahn MD MPH, Co-Director
Professor of Health Policy and Epidemiology
Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies

Harold S. Luft PhD, Co-Director
Professor of Health Policy and Health Economics
Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies

Laura A. Schmidt PhD MSW MPH
Associate Professor of Anthropology, History and Social Medicine
Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies

Dana Hughes DrPH
Professor of Health Policy and Family and Community Medicine
Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies

R. Adams Dudley MD MBA
Associate Professor of Health Policy and Medicine
Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies

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