Economist Stuart H. Altman, Ph.D., Named 2014 Recipient of the William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research
ARLINGTON, Va., and DEERFIELD, Ill., May 13, 2014 /3BL Media/ – Stuart H. Altman, Ph.D., has been named the 2014 recipient of the William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research. The Prize, funded by The Baxter International Foundation and managed by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), will be awarded on June 19, 2014, during the AUPHA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas.
The Prize recognizes the contributions of health services researchers who apply analytic methods to examine and evaluate the organization, financing, and/or delivery of health services, realizing that by improving the delivery of health services, the health of citizens is also improved. An independent committee of past winners, distinguished academics, and internationally recognized researchers selects the recipient each year.
A preeminent economist whose research interests focus primarily on federal and state health policy, Dr. Altman is a former dean of The Heller School for Social Policy & Management and Sol C. Chaikin Professor of National Health Policy at Brandeis University. He has an M.A. and Ph.D. degree in Economics from University of California Los Angeles and taught at Brown University and the Graduate School of Public Policy at University of California at Berkeley.
In 2012, following four decades of work focusing on healthcare costs, Dr. Altman was selected to chair the Health Policy Commission, Massachusetts’ new state board charged with setting healthcare spending goals and tracking providers’ progress toward reducing costs. Lynn Nicholas, chief executive of the Massachusetts Hospital Association, praised Altman as someone with “big picture thinking” and deep knowledge of the local healthcare market.
"The Graham Prize Selection Committee was enthusiastic in its recommendation of Dr. Altman for this distinguished prize," said Kyle Grazier, Richard C. Jelinek Professor of Health Management and Policy at the University of Michigan and Graham Prize Selection Committee chair. "Dr. Altman continues to study, contribute to, and lead national and state health policy. His recent appointment by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick to chair the Board of the Health Policy Commission is only one example. Dr. Altman brings his economist viewpoint, on-the-ground experience, and strategic vision to push the country to make healthcare better in every way. He does this with the zeal and unending energy that has characterized his every contribution through the years. We are grateful that the Graham Prize exists to honor someone of the stature of Stuart Altman."
"I am truly honored to receive the 2014 William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research. I would like to thank The Baxter International Foundation for funding this prize. Health services research and policy analysis has been my life's work for the past 45 years." said Dr. Altman. "As someone who has taught many thousands of students interested in a career in health services research, health policy, or health administration, it is especially gratifying that the prize is awarded by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration."
The recipient of numerous awards and honors throughout his career, Dr. Altman was designated as one of Modern Health Care’s 100 Most Powerful People in Health Care for nine successive years, from 2003-2011. He has been appointed to serve on nearly 30 boards, including The National Coalition for Health Care Reform, The Social Policy Research Group, and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Aveta and of EmblemHealth, Inc.
A prolific author, he has written more than 30 books, published more than 50 papers and articles, and testified more than 35 times before the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives during the past 37 years.
About the William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research
Since 1986, The Baxter International Foundation and the Association of University Programs in Health Administration have awarded the William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research to recognize researchers who have made major contributions to the health of the public through innovative research in health services. The Prize honors the late William B. Graham, longtime chairman and CEO of Baxter International Inc., and is internationally regarded as the premier recognition for individuals conducting health services research. The Prize recognizes individuals who have had a significant impact on the health of the public in one of three primary focus areas: Health Services Management, Health Policy Development, and Healthcare Delivery. The Prize includes an award of $25,000 to the individual and $25,000 to a non-profit institution that supports the winner’s work. Past recipients have included Dorothy P. Rice, Sc.D. and Uwe Reinhardt, Ph.D.
About the Prize Sponsors
The Baxter International Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX), helps organizations expand access to healthcare in the United States and around the world. The foundation, established in 1981, focuses exclusively on increasing access to healthcare, particularly for the disadvantaged and underserved in communities where Baxter employees live and work. Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures and markets products that save and sustain the lives of people with hemophilia, immune disorders, infectious diseases, kidney disease, trauma, and other chronic and acute medical conditions. As a global, diversified healthcare company, Baxter applies a unique combination of expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to create products that advance patient care worldwide. For more information, please visit www.baxter.com.
AUPHA is a global network of colleges, universities, faculty, individuals and organizations dedicated to the improvement of healthcare delivery through excellence in healthcare management and policy education. Its mission is to foster excellence and drive innovation in health management and policy education, and promote the value of university-based management education for leadership roles in the health sector. It is the only non-profit entity of its kind that works to improve the delivery of health services – and thus the health of citizens – throughout the world by educating professional managers at the entry level. AUPHA’s membership includes the premier baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral programs in health administration education in the United States, Canada, and around the world. Its faculty and individual members represent more than 400 colleges and universities. For more information, please visit www.aupha.org.
