Monday, December 8, 2014, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. EST
For many researchers, understanding the value and potential impact of research doesn't always equate to being able to articulate its significance to members of the media or to policymakers.
In an effort to help researchers understand their work in the context of the media and policy environments, AcademyHealth's Public Health Systems Research (PHSR) and Advocacy Interest Groups (IGs) hosted a series of webinars aimed at preparing researchers for what to expect when and if their research gains traction in the media or policy arenas.
The first webinar of the series, "Research's Recognition in the Media: Two Sides of the Same Coin," which focused on the media component, was held on Tuesday, September 30. The second webinar of the series focused on the policy component.
Overview: For research to affect health system change, it must first be noticed and then implemented, whether by an entity, such as a health care provider, or through policy. But—when and if research does build momentum within the policy arena—do researchers know what to expect and how best to move forward?
This webinar, the second in a series from the Advocacy and PHSR IGs, aimed to prepare researchers for how to make the best use of their interaction(s) with congressional staff. Drawing on the perspectives of both the research and policy communities, this discussion sought to help participants understand the process of moving research to policy and identified the challenges and opportunities that are part of that progression.
Bringing one aspect of the policy angle to the discussion was Fern Goodhart, who advises Senator Tom Udall (NM) on health, education, Indian health and education, and domestic social legislative issues. To build on Ms. Goodhart’s policy expertise, and respond with a research perspective, was Dr. Andrew Bindman, a professor of medicine, health policy, epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and a former Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Policy Fellow, where he worked on the staff of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee from 2009-2010, during the passage of the Affordable Care Act.
Together, Ms. Goodhart and Dr. Bindman played off points made by the other and helped participants better comprehend the intricate intersection between research, policy, advocacy and legislation as well as how to communicate with members of Congress and their staff.
Faculty: Drew Harris, D.P.M., M.P.H., Jefferson School of Population Health (moderator); Andrew Bindman, M.D., Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco; Fern Goodhart, M.S.P.H., Legislative Assistant, Office of Senator Tom Udall (D-Utah)
Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of the session, participants were able to:
- Better understand what to expect when their research achieves attention from policymakers
- Recognize which sources policymakers use when researching legislation
- Be better informed about how to most effectively work with members of Congress and their staff.
Course Level: 101 (Introductory)
Faculty Bios:
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Drew Harris, D.P.M., M.P.H., (moderator) is an assistant professor and program director for health policy and population health at the Thomas Jefferson University School of Population Health (JSPH) in Philadelphia, Penn. His academic interest is the complex interplay between public health, medical care, and public policy. He founded the NJ Public Health Institute and served on the Executive Board of the American Public Health Association. He is an active public health advocate who testifies regularly on health policy issues. Through his op-eds and essays in the Philadelphia Inquirer's Field Clinic blog, Wall Street Journal’s Experts in Health Panel and other publications, he educates the public about important health issues. |
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Andrew Bindman, M.D., is professor of medicine, health policy, epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He is director of the University of California Medicaid Research Institute and director of UCSF’s Primary Care Research Fellowship. He is also a senior advisor in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he works on issues related to the health care workforce, graduate medical education, and Medicaid. During 2009-2010, Dr. Bindman was a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow on the staff of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee chaired by Congressman Henry Waxman. In that role, he actively participated in the policy process that resulted in federal health reform through the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Dr. Bindman received his M.D. from Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York. |
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Fern Goodhart, M.S.P.H., currently advises Senator Tom Udall (NM) on health, education, Indian health and education, and domestic social legislative issues. In 2008, she was APHA’s first public health fellow in government with Senator Menendez. She has had a professional career in public health education and leadership, highlighted by large national grants, statewide initiatives and special projects; national leadership and locally elected office; transformed health education services in health promotion, violence and injury prevention, alcohol abuse prevention and sexual health; and volunteer public service. Ms. Goodhart has been a Rutgers University adjunct professor and researcher while directing their university health services’ department of health education; consulted with governments and universities nationally and internationally on health and on civic engagement issues; and co-edited a national journal. In addition, Goodhart served as a councilwoman and council president in Highland Park, NJ for seven years, striving for social, environmental and economic sustainability. Goodhart is a master’s certified health education specialist (ret) with a K-12 teaching license in New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. She worked for the NJ State Department of Health, where she coordinated statewide health education programs in cardiovascular disease, dental health, physical fitness and state employee wellness; served three governors, on their Councils on Physical Fitness, Trails, and Bicycle Advocacy; and has authored 24 book chapters or articles. |
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