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American College of Surgeons Health Policy Research Institute
(Archived Project)
Investigator (PI): Ricketts, Thomas C
Performing Organization (PO): (Current): University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research / (919) 966-5011
Supporting Agency (SA): American College of Surgeons (ACS)
Initial Year: 2008
Final Year: 2011
Record Source/Award ID: ACS/0
Award Type: Grant
Abstract: In March 2008, The American College of Surgeons established a new Health Policy Research Institute to facilitate the scholarly assessment of the role of surgery and surgical services in the evolving health care environment. The institute was established at the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina, as the new Washington headquarters of the American College of Surgeons in Washington, DC is not expected to be complete until late 2010. At the time of completion, it was planned that some of the institute's activities would move to Washington, DC with much of the research base at UNC. The mission of the ACS Health Policy Research Institute is to improve our understanding of surgical patient care from a policy perspective in order to educate the public, federal and state governments, health care consumers, and the policy community to enable advocacy for superior, efficient, and compassionate surgical patient care. The goal of the institute is to create a data-driven, knowledge-based program for examining issues related to surgical services, the surgical workforce, and public policies affecting surgery. The institute will develop a data system that regularly collects, analyzes, and reports on the state of the surgical profession and the surgical workforce in the United States and, where appropriate, other nations, and the institute will provide expert advice, data analysis, and original research for the College. The creation of this institute is in response to the need for high quality and relevant data on the health care system, the economy, and society as they affect surgical patients and practitioners. Specifically, the institute strives to address the following major issues: 1) understanding and predicting surgical manpower issues affecting the care of the surgical patient, 2) understanding how emerging technology affects care of the surgical patient, 3) developing meaningful surgical quality guidelines based on sound research, 4) understanding the impact of healthcare economics and medico-legal environments upon surgical patients, 5) providing an educational environment for health policy and socioeconomic scholarship, and 6) providing an effective legislative communication system to effect improvements in quality and delivery of surgical care. To date, the institute's focus has been to develop internal organizational capacity, establish partnerships with relevant organizations to facilitate collaborative research efforts, and create a foundation of knowledge about the supply and need for surgical services in the United States for policymaking and research purposes. In the coming year, the institute will recruit and expand staff, particularly for the Washington, DC office, and enhance its research portfolio to include more analysis of surgery access and quality and outcomes.
MeSH Terms:
  • Federal Government
  • General Surgery /*organization & administration
  • Health Care Costs
  • * Health Policy
  • Humans
  • North Carolina
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Program Development
  • Program Evaluation
  • Quality Assurance, Health Care
  • Societies /*organization & administration
  • State Government
  • United States
  • Universities
Country: United States
State: North Carolina
Zip Code: 27599
UI: 20113137
Project Status: Archived