CHICAGO, Ill. (June 30, 2009)—AcademyHealth and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation have recognized the research of Danielle Varda, Ph.D., as the best scientific work that the field of public health systems research (PHSR) has produced and published in 2008. Dr. Varda, an assistant professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado, Denver, received the Article-of-the-Year Award for her article, "Core Dimensions of Connectivity in Public Health Collaboratives," published in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice.
In addition to a $1,000 cash award, Dr. Varda receives complimentary registration and travel assistance to attend AcademyHealth's Annual Research Meeting and the PHSR Interest Group Annual Meeting, June 28-July 1, 2009 in Chicago.
The annual Article-of-the-Year Award is intended to recognize articles that present, analyze, and comment on new data or synthesize and analyze data that have already been collected in the field of PHSR. Dr. Varda's article was selected for its contribution to the understanding of public health systems; provision of new insights to the field of PHSR; and potential to advance the field and/or challenge current thinking.
PHSR is a field of inquiry examining the organization, financing, performance, and impact of health systems—defined as the constellation of governmental and non-governmental actors that influence population health, including health care providers, insurers, purchasers, public health agencies, community-based organizations, and entities that operate outside the traditional sphere of health care.
AcademyHealth represents a broad community of people with an interest in and commitment to using health services research to improve health care. We promote interaction across the health research and policy arenas by bringing together a broad spectrum of players to share their perspectives, learn from each other, and strengthen their working relationships.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 35 years, the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime.