AcademyHealth

Mission

To achieve its mission, AcademyHealth collaborates with the health services research community and other key stakeholders to support the development of health services research by expanding and improving the scientific basis of the field by increasing the capabilities and skills of researchers and promoting the development of the necessary financial, human, infrastructure, and data sources. It also seeks to facilitate the use of the best available research and information by translating research findings and the lessons of experience into useful information for clinical, management, and policy decisions, and enhancing communication and interaction between health services researchers and health policymakers. In addition, AcademyHealth assists health policy and practice leaders in addressing major health challenges by providing high-quality policy and technical assistance by offering educational programs that advance the use of policy analysis and research and identifying areas where additional research and information are needed.

AcademyHealth's work concentrates its efforts and expertise on a variety of issues that are essential to health policy making and practice. These include healthcare financing, organization, and delivery; the problems of the uninsured; the quality and costs of care; public health systems and issues; health information technology; and long-term care.

Background

AcademyHealth was established in June 2000 following a merger between the Alpha Center and the Association for Health Services Research (AHSR).

The Alpha Center was founded in 1976 as a federally funded, regional health-planning center. It evolved into a nonprofit, nonpartisan health policy center dedicated to improving access to affordable, quality healthcare. The Alpha Center [Page 9]provided expert technical assistance, objective analysis and research, and comprehensive education and facilitation services.

The AHSR was formed in 1981 and was a nonprofit professional society for individuals and organizations committed to health services research. Its mission was to educate consumers and policymakers about the importance of health services research, disseminate information generated by health services researchers, secure funding for the field, and provide networking and professional development opportunities.

To better integrate the development of the field of health services research with the use of research to inform public- and private-sector decision makers, the Alpha Center and the AHSR merged to become the Academy for Health Services Research and Health Policy in 2000. The integration of the two organizations provided a strong foundation for building a bridge between the research and user communities in the world of health policy and practice. A year and a half after the merger, the executive committee began to explore whether the organization's name accurately and effectively conveyed its mission, vision, and values. In 2003, the organization finalized its rebranding process, unveiling its new identify, AcademyHealth, at its 2003 annual research meeting.

AcademyHealth's predecessor organizations were historically at the forefront of the field of health services research, organizing the initial professional meeting of health services researchers in 1983 and working with the academic, policy making, and practitioner communities to provide professional development and networking opportunities. Building on their combined strengths, AcademyHealth provided a home for the growing multidisciplinary field and a vital resource for consumers of the field's research.

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