UCSF CER - Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies Handout (Symposium 2013), Claire Brindis

1. UCSF’s Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies contributes to the solution of
complex and challenging health policy problems through leadership in research,
training, technical assistance, and public service.
About Us—Improving health through policy, leadership, and research…
The Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies (IHPS), an organized research unit within UCSF,
contributes to the solution of complex and challenging health policy problems through leadership in
research, training, technical assistance, and public service. Our special competence lies in translating
research across disciplines and fields to inform health policy. We undertake this work with a commitment
to improve health and health care within local, state, national, and international communities and with a
focus on improving the health of vulnerable populations.
IHPS collaborates closely with UCSF schools and departments, other universities, the private sector,
government, and community-based organizations to address issues critical to the health of the public. Our
faculty work in and often across three primary areas: Healthcare Systems, Population Health and
Determinants, and Clinical Practice.
Healthcare System faculty examines outcomes, quality, and measurement of healthcare delivery
systems with research and practice that spans from the individual clinic to hospital and healthcare

2. systems. They also play a leadership role in translating research findings into policy, program, and
healthcare delivery practices. IHPS faculty have informed the development of value-based purchasing
approaches and have undertaken cost and cost-effectiveness studies across a wide domain of conditions
and systems both domestically and internationally. Healthcare system faculty also conducts research on
the healthcare workforce with a particular focus on nursing and primary care providers. The Institute is
particularly interested in ensuring that our healthcare system delivers appropriate care to at-risk
populations including children and the elderly.
Population Health and Determinants faculty focus on disparities in health and healthcare. Faculty
examine how to ensure access to primary care for low-income populations in California and nationwide.
For example, Institute faculty and staff work on shaping state and national policies related to reproductive
health access. IHPS faculty use longitudinal data to examine chronic disease and its impact on vulnerable
patients. Vulnerable populations are also a key focus of longstanding IHPS research and translational
efforts related to substance use policy and tobacco control. Institute faculty have examined the impact of
the environment on reproductive health outcomes and child health. Additionally, faculty study disasters –
both natural and human-created – with a particular focus on health and the environment.
“IHPS’ vibrant community of scholars from many disciplines, work effectively together to address critical
health and health policy issues.”
In Clinical Practice, IHPS has long been a leader in research and policy translation related to technology
evaluation, drugs, and pharmaceuticals. The Institute boasts a path-breaking program on the production
of research and medical evidence that touches on issues related to industry sponsorship, conflict of
interest, and research integrity. In award-winning work, Institute faculty have developed and put into
practice decision-making tools that facilitate the delivery of patient-centered care. IHPS is also at the
forefront of understanding how genetic technologies and personalized medicine will shape and re-shape
clinical practice of the future.
In all these areas, IHPS recognizes that policy problems are complex and are most effectively addressed
by using the perspectives and tools of multiple disciplines and fields. However, different disciplines and
fields use different “languages,” conceptual frameworks, methods, and standards of evidence. It is often
difficult to bring lessons from one field into another and even more challenging to synthesize and translate
research findings so that they can help inform decisions of policymakers, program managers, clinicians,
and others concerned with health policy issues.
Over a period of 40 years, IHPS has demonstrated success in overcoming these disciplinary barriers to
promote rigorous research translation into policy and practice. IHPS’ vibrant community of scholars from
many disciplines, work effectively together to address critical health and health policy issues. Our unique
contribution is our ability to apply a multi-disciplinary perspective in collaboration with others within and
outside the Institute and the University. From its founding, IHPS has been a community where research
from many disciplines is conducted, synthesized, and translated so that it can be applied to real-world
policy arenas, program areas, and practice settings.
For additional information, please see: http://healthpolicy.ucsf.edu