Delivering Better Care

As the U.S. faces a worsening maternal health crisis, new federal Medicaid reforms could widen racial, economic, and geographic disparities in pregnancy and postpartum care, warns a Health Affairs Forefront article by AcademyHealth researchers. Citing findings from the Doula Research for Equitable Advances in Medicaid Pregnancy Health (DREAM) project, the authors caution that proposed changes may erode recent gains in maternal health equity and urge policymakers to protect access to essential care.

Researchers and advocates often overlook the fundamental issue of bodily autonomy in post-Dobbs abortion discourse.

In September 2025, AcademyHealth and its partners secured a major legal victory restoring federal health data removed earlier this year. This fact sheet summarizes the case background, settlement terms, and the implications for researchers, clinicians, and communities.

A recent lawsuit shines a light on a critical threat to the nation’s ability to improve health care. Due to the incapacitation of AHRQ’s research grantmaking, patients, clinicians, and health systems will lose access to innovative research that’s needed to improve care and reduce costs.

This year, Health Datapalooza moves forward without federal officials on the main stage. AcademyHealth looks at what it means for the event and why the mission to connect innovators and advance health care remains as vital as ever.

Critical health services research funding is slowing to a halt, threatening vital innovations that improve care nationwide. New data shows the agency is unable to fulfill its mandate.

Navigating the unprecedented change and uncertainty in today’s health care landscape requires us to carefully design the best next steps for a path forward. At UPMC, we believe that a learning community approach will not only help health care stakeholders weather current challenges but also build a stronger and more sustainable stakeholder-driven research infrastructure.

As the intersection of health care and technology continues to expand, the role of health information technologies (HIT) is ever more critical. The Health Information Technology Interest Group spoke on a panel on the intersection between HIT and innovation and offer practical challenges of implementing cutting-edge solutions in real-world health care settings.

A new Stanford Social Innovation Review article describes lessons learned from the Community Research for Health Equity program, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and managed by AcademyHealth, and highlights strategies for funders to embrace equitable research grantmaking approaches to better support community-led research initiatives.