Founded in 1976, the Alpha Center grew to be recognized as one of the nation’s leading health policy resource centers providing research analysis, facilitation, education and training, strategic planning, and program management. AHSR was formed in 1981 as a non-profit professional society for individuals and organizations with a commitment to health services research. AHSR’s mission included educating consumers and policymakers about the importance of health services research, disseminating information generated by health services researchers, securing funding for the field, and providing networking and professional development opportunities.
AcademyHealth, drawing upon the strengths of its two predecessor organizations, is advancing the fields of health services research and health policy through the transfer of relevant information across the research and policy arenas.