As researchers, policymakers, health care providers and consumer advocates continue to strive for cost, quality, and access improvements in the United States, the lessons and experiences of other nations can be instructive. In recognition of the way cross-national learning can improve our understanding of global issues and our unique national challenges, AcademyHealth has recently reinvigorated its international programs. Special ARM Session on Adapting Innovations from Abroad 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. June 25, 2012 This year's Annual Research Meeting in Orlando will feature a special invited papers session,"Insular No More: How U.S. Health Care is Beginning to Adapt Innovations from Other Countries." The session will examine how the health policy experiences of other countries inform the debate about the design and implementation of U.S. health reform. The distinguished panelists will also discuss efforts to adapt specific conceptual and practical ideas from other countries, across a broad range of high priority areas that include health insurance exchanges, information systems, hospital infection control techniques, medical homes, and more. The session will explore the vital role that leading foundations, journals, think tanks, health care providers, quality coalitions, researchers and others are playing in promoting the cross-border transmission of timely and useful ideas. The panelists will also provide concrete tips on how you too can get involved in this exciting new development. The session is offered on Monday, June 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The list of panelists can be found on our website and on page 17 of the ARM agenda book. For further information please contact session chair Bruce Rosen at bruce@jdc.org.il 2012 International Study Tour: China October 31 - November 9, 2012 Join AcademyHealth President and CEO Lisa Simpson and her co-host Tsung-Mei Cheng of Princeton University for an incredible opportunity to learn about health care delivery and policy in China. Participants will travel across China, interacting with health services research producers and users from around the world and learning first-hand how China is addressing the health needs of their population and the performance of their health care system. The tour is designed to promote cross-national dialogue on shared issues of producing and using research and evidence to improve health and health care systems, with a special emphasis on programs and initiatives addressing the increasing burden and costs of chronic diseases in China across the age span. Participants can choose from a long program itinerary that includes participation in the Second Global Symposium on Health Systems Research or a shorter program option that joins the delegation after the symposium to explore Beijing, travel to Chengdu to look at developments in mobile health, remote health care, and community-based services, and then visits Shanghai to learn about advances in research, public health, and health information technology and how these will affect the future of health care in China. The study tour is being coordinated by Academic Travel Abroad. For more information, see our website. Thinking Beyond Our Borders: What We Can Learn about Improving Care from Other Countries Dr. Lisa Simpson was the featured speaker at the 2012 Richard and Janet Southby Distinguished Lectureship in Comparative Health Policy at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services on April 24, 2012. Her speech, “Thinking Beyond Our Borders: What We Can Learn about Improving Care from Other Countries” looked at what international studies tell us about health and health care in the U.S., leading approaches and trends in other countries, and the burgeoning field of implementation science. You can view Dr. Simpson's slides here. Keep the Conversation Going We invite you to join the conversation about international lessons for U.S. researchers and policymakers by attending a very special session at the upcoming Annual Research Meeting and discussing the issue with your peers in our members-only social network my.academyhealth.org. This post was written by Dr. Bruce Rosen, Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute, and Dr. Lisa Simpson and Kristin Rosengren, AcademyHealth