AcademyHealth has been selected by Research!America to receive the Paul G. Rogers Distinguished Organization Advocacy Award, recognizing the organization’s leadership in advocacy for the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and keeping the health services and policy research community informed and engaged through its Situation Report series.
The Paul G. Rogers Distinguished Organization Advocacy Award honors a public or private organization or institution that is a strong advocate for medical, public health, or other health-related research at the national, state, or local level. Past recipients include the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Alzheimer’s Association, the Alliance for Aging Research, and more.
AcademyHealth has been at the forefront of efforts to safeguard AHRQ’s funding and visibility for more than two decades. The organization has built and mobilized broad coalitions across the research, clinical, and policy communities to ensure that AHRQ, the nation’s only federal agency dedicated to health services research, continues to have a strong voice in shaping how the U.S. health system learns and improves. Through sustained advocacy, AcademyHealth has helped secure bipartisan support for AHRQ, contributed to a funding increase to $369 million in FY24, and galvanized more than 170 national organizations to call for a fully funded and intact agency going into FY25.
“AHRQ’s work touches every part of our health system, from patient safety to quality improvement, and ensuring its stability has required both persistence and partnership,” said Josh Caplan, Director for Government Affairs at AcademyHealth. “This award reflects not just our advocacy, but the collective effort of a community that understands how vital AHRQ is to better care, smarter spending, and improved health.”
Launched in early 2025, the Situation Report provides clear, timely insights on federal developments that affect health research, funding, and policy. The series has become a trusted source for the field, helping members and partners navigate rapid changes in the policy landscape and identify opportunities for advocacy.
“The Situation Report started as a way to help our members navigate uncertainty and stay engaged in advocacy,” said Dr. Aaron Carroll, President and CEO of AcademyHealth. “This award is a reflection of the trust and collaboration we’ve built across the field."
AcademyHealth will formally receive the award at Research!America’s 2026 Advocacy Awards event in March.
AcademyHealth would like to thank our partners, members, and funders who power our advocacy every day. There’s more work to do, and we’re just getting started. You can make a donation today by texting AcademyHealth to 44-321.