People often ask what AcademyHealth is and why our work is so important. We put together a short video that explains who we are, what we do, and how evidence can shape real‑world decisions.
If you’ve ever needed a simple way to describe our field, I hope this helps. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YT1...
Dr Aaron Carroll of AcademyHealth speaking to Dr John Ayanian at the University of Michigan
So good to have @aaronecarroll.bsky.social at @umich.edu today to speak to the largest health services research community in the country about what the organization he leads, @academyhealth.bsky.social, is doing to defend research funding, federal health data, entities like AHRQ & USPSTF & more.
Dr. Aaron Carroll of AcademyHealth and Dr John Ayanian of U-M IHPI holding signs that say Health Services Research Matters and I heart IHPI
Thank you, @aaronecarroll.bsky.social , for joining us as our keynote speaker today! (And apologies for making you stand in front of a field of block Ms...)
15th anniversary stickers for the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation
Today, we're pleased to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation at our annual Member Forum, & to welcome @aaronecarroll.bsky.social from @academyhealth.bsky.social as our keynote speaker!
A 🧵of some points from my opening remarks
I’ve loved Foxtrot since my Amherst College days and still have framed strips on my wall. Congratulations!
We collaborated with Healthcare Triage on a series about the biggest pain points in health care hosted by @aaronecarroll.bsky.social. The first episode is up now: buff.ly/cBjqqA1
I’m hosting a new series on my YouTube channel Healthcare Triage about some of the biggest pain points in the American health care system. You can watch the first episode now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F_c...
In a new episode of Pre‑Made, AcademyHealth CEO @aaronecarroll.bsky.social reflects on how questioning the health care system shaped his career, and why evidence, trust, and thoughtful leadership go hand in hand. Listen here:
Apple Podcasts: buff.ly/rYcJrF8
Spotify: buff.ly/8GN6QYq
Elizabeth Cope lays out a thoughtful approach to using AI in evidence reviews, one that recognizes both the potential gains and the real risks.
For HSR, the challenge isn’t whether to use new tools, but how to do so without weakening rigor:
ahsituationreport.substack.com/p/balancing-...
I joined my friend Matthew Collins on Pre Made to talk about how questioning the health care system came to define my career, and why evidence works best when it’s paired with judgment and trust.
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/6l7k...
Match Day 2026 set records but Medicare caps, rural care gaps, and barriers for international grads show the limits of our workforce pipeline. I write about what might actually help solve these physician pipeline problems here: ahsituationreport.substack.com/p/match-day-...
7/ Science that earns trust starts with truth, context, and care.
6/ People can handle uncertainty. They cannot handle being misled.
5/ Ways to rebuild trust:
-Innovate with guardrails
-Communicate clearly & honestly
4/ Trust in health institutions is declining. Oversimplification, cherry-picking studies, and ignoring tradeoffs are big drivers.
3/ Example: 1 drink/day adds 4 cases per 100,000 people. Dramatic relative risk sounds scary, but absolute numbers tell the real story.
2/ Headlines like “no amount of alcohol is safe” may be technically true—but they don’t give context. Absolute risk matters.
1/ I’ve been thinking a lot about how we communicate health data and research shapes public trust & the ways oversimplification is leading to growing mistrust in science. A thread 👇️
IHPI members: Only a couple of weeks until our 2026 Member Forum! Register to join us April 16 as we reflect on 15 years of impact and look ahead to the future of #healthservicesresearch with @aaronecarroll.bsky.social, president & CEO of @academyhealth.bsky.social: ihpi.umich.edu/news-events/...
In this latest piece, our President and CEO @aaronecarroll.bsky.social explains why building better data connections is critical for producing real‑world evidence that drives smarter health policy.
Read more: buff.ly/KfJFzIq
Every few years, politicians rediscover chronic disease, blame Americans for eating wrong and moving too little, then call it a day. Blame is cheap. System change costs money. My latest in @washingtonpost.com: wapo.st/3PiGpgX
I responded and on X already, so I hope there is some accountability there.
I rarely complain online, but I've exhausted every other option. After years as an @americanair.bsky.social Executive Platinum member, I was just treated rudely on the phone after being ignored by chat, a supervisor, and customer relations. Loyal customers deserve better than this.
AcademyHealth is now hiring a Senior Research Associate, Health Systems Improvement! Help lead research and improvement efforts that advance better, more equitable health systems.
Learn more and apply: buff.ly/LUEqv8L
This just in: Kat McDavitt and @andrewmibrahim.bsky.social are officially our co-chairs for the 2026 #hdpalooza! Save the date: Sep 24-25 in DC. More info coming soon: buff.ly/RCe4NqD
Healthcare Access, Payment, and Coverage?
I’m incredibly proud that the Friends of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality sent a record-breaking letter signed by 259 organizations to Congress calling for the Agency to be fully funded, intact, independent, and sufficiently staffed:
In a win for the field CMS has postponed efforts to restrict access to federal claims data and disrupt Medicare & Medicaid research.
Proud of the advocacy by AcademyHealth and our community.
Read more about our work: academyhealth.org/blog/2026-02...
Our latest Situation Report looks at where federal health policy stands right now: stabilized HHS funding, extensions of telehealth and hospital-at-home, scrutiny of NIH reforms, and more.
Details here: academyhealth.org/blog/2026-02...
At our first members-only town hall of the year, AcademyHealth shared updates on our advocacy to protect AHRQ, defend independent science, and push back on misinformation affecting grantmaking and evidence-based policy. We remain committed to standing up for data, process, and research.
