Health care in America is at a crossroads. Revolutionary scientific advances promise great improvements in the prevention and diagnosis of disease and the treatment of patients. But major obstacles must be overcome before this enormous potential can be realized. These include: • Disparities in access to care and insurance; • High and rising costs; • Fragmented, complex organization and financing; • Mounting consumer expectations and demand; • Disaffection and shortages in the medical workforce, and • Inefficiencies and errors in the provision of medical services. Solving these and other problems requires a collaborative effort by policymakers, the private sector, the medical profession and academe to ensure that the U.S. has policies, laws, regulations and public/private partnerships that encourage and sustain an outstanding health system for all. Identifying effective solutions is now among the most important and difficult tasks facing our nation. The necessary and appropriate responses constitute the work of the Washington University Center for Health Policy. The principal aims of the Center will be to: • Identify key issues, then design, conduct and disseminate highest quality research projects and analyses aimed at understanding and developing policies that will lead to improved health care; • Provide a base for experts from the United States and abroad to undertake relevant projects; • Develop and implement a variety of educational experiences in health policy for students and younger and mid-career health professionals from Washington University and elsewhere, and • Sponsor conferences, symposia, workshops, commissions, visiting professorships and sabbaticals drawing from the national and international community of experts. Click here for recent research studies. If you are interested in supporting the Center for Health Policy at Washington University in St.Louis. Visit our secure online giving page to make a gift online. A printable form is available here. For more information see the message from the Dean and Giving Opportunities.