The Center for Health Management and Policy Research in the Department of Health Systems Management conducts and facilitates research examining management and policy-related issues vital to the health care community. The Center's research focuses on four key areas:

1) The health care delivery system, with projects focused on understanding the complex internal and external influences shaping the health care environment. Recent projects include:

• International travel for essential medical care
• The impact of medical travel on imports and exports of medical care

2) The patient experience, with projects focused on identifying evidence-based approaches to improving patient decision making, facilities and throughput, patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes. Recent projects include:

• Delays in seeking care for chronic conditions prior to becoming eligible for Medicare
• The relationship between serious, preventable patient safety events , severity of illness and reimbursement

3) Innovations in education, with projects focused on testing and evaluating new teaching and learning models, methods and outcomes. Recent projects include:

• Models for interdisciplinary education across the health sciences
• Development and evaluation of a professional education program for hospital and financial management in Albania

4) Leadership, with studies focusing on the assessment and development of leadership capabilities in administrative, interdisciplinary, and governance contexts. Recent projects include:

• Leadership assessment and development planning
• Talent management and succession planning

Rigorous student research projects complement faculty research initiatives. Each student completes a two-quarter Master's Project that addresses an important health care management or policy-related issue. Examples of recent projects include:

• Impact of Preventable Comorbid Conditions on DRG Reimbursement, examining the financial implications of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' policy to stop paying extra for severe adverse events
• The Impact of Hematology/Oncology Bed Management Strategies on Throughput, which simulated a series of bed management and patient flow management strategies on the capacity and efficiency of hematology/oncology patient care units at a large academic medical center
• The Resident Duty Hour Restriction and Patient Satisfaction, examining whether restrictions on the number of hours that residents may work is associated with improvements in patient satisfaction
• Factors Influencing Patient Philanthropic Donations, examining whether clinical and demographic characteristics and solicitation methods are associated with a patient's decision to donate to a health care organization