AcademyHealth is committed to high standards of professionalism in health services research activities, including providing a safe, hospitable, and productive environment for everyone participating in our activities (including meetings, events, and volunteer groups). We expect our community to maintain these standards when engaging in professional work with AcademyHealth. We are committed to providing a harassment-free environment for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, physical appearance, or other group identity. 

As such, AcademyHealth prohibits intimidating, threatening or harassing conduct during or in connection with our meetings, events, and programs based on these and any other protected characteristics under applicable federal, state or local law. This includes but is not limited to stalking, intimidation, unwanted or inappropriate contact, unwelcome sexual attention, harassing photography or recording, and sustained disruption of events and/or meetings, as well as encouraging any such behavior by others. This prohibition applies to all participants in all settings in-person or virtual, including program funders and partners, as well as event attendees, speakers, staff, exhibitors, and volunteers. 

Upholding professional conduct is both an individual responsibility for community members’ own conduct and a collective responsibility. AcademyHealth commits to the engagement of our community to advance professional values and model those values in our own leadership and staff conduct. We also expect our members, funders, partners, and vendors to exhibit professional behavior.

AcademyHealth does not tolerate or condone unprofessional behavior amongst our staff or at our meetings and events. Reports of inappropriate conduct can be made in the following ways: 

  • Emailing info@academyhealth.org using the subject line, “Code of Professional Conduct Violation” 
  • Reporting to an AcademyHealth staff member
  • Submitting an anonymous report via Google form 

AcademyHealth staff will acknowledge the complaint as soon as possible and reserves the right to remove individuals right away and/or initiate an investigation within 3 business days. Response may include:

  • Investigation or fact-finding activities, 
  • Removal of the individual from the meeting, event, or volunteer group without warning or refund, 
  • Prohibition of attendance at future AcademyHealth meetings and events, 
  • Revocation of membership and/or prohibition of participation in AcademyHealth volunteer groups, committees, Councils, Board of Directors, or other stakeholder group
  • Report to appropriate legal authority, the individual’s employer, or other disciplinary action against the individual and their employer. 

Retaliation for reporting prohibited behavior under this Code is considered a violation of this Code, as is reporting an incident in bad faith.