Nation's Top Health Care Researchers Gathering at the University of Albany

The University at Albany's School of Public Health will host some of the nation's top health care researchers at the 10th Annual Health Organizational Research Association (HORA) Conference on the uptown campus, June 19 and 20. The conference, organized by Timothy Hoff, associate professor of health policy and management in the School of Public Health, is an intense day and a half long scholarly dialogue presenting cutting edge health care research. Health services researchers from around the world will attend the conference, including scholars from Yale, University College London, New York University, Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, the University of Michigan and the University of North Carolina.

"It is an honor for Dr. Hoff and the School of Public Health to be selected to host this premier research event," said Vice President for Research Lynn Videka. "This speaks to the research achievements within the School and University."

"The conference serves as an important opportunity for discussion of leading edge research with accomplished colleagues," said Philip C. Nasca, Dean of the School of Public Health. "The contributions of Dr. Hoff and his colleagues to health care organizational research are crucial to successful health system reform in this country and the School is pleased to host this dialogue."

"The goal of the conference is to provide a networking and scholarly exchange vehicle for some of our country's leading academic thinkers in organizational theory and behavior as it applies to health care issues," said Hoff. "Many of the major problems and challenges in health care today are organizational in nature. HORA members play an important role in moving forward positive change in our health care system."

This year's conference will present research comparing quality improvement approaches in U.S. and European health care organizations, identifying best practices associated with health system transformation, identifying factors driving improved clinical quality in hospitals, and medical career selection decisions. In addition, special sessions will be held addressing industry needs in quality management research and improving health outcomes research through the application of organization theory and research methods.

Previous conferences have been held at the University of California at Berkeley, University of Michigan, and University of Pennsylvania.

Through its partnership with the New York State Dept. of Health, UAlbany's School of Public Health offers students immediate access to internships at the Health Department, Albany Medical College, and variety of other public and private health institutions throughout New York. The school serves as the academic anchor of the East Campus, the biotech hub of the university's life sciences research, which includes the Gen*NY*Sis Center for Excellence in Cancer Genomics.

UAlbany School of Public Health students have unique access to study the most profound health issues facing us today: the threat of bioterrorism, the spread of HIV/AIDS and other emerging diseases, the lack of affordable and accessible health care for individuals and families, environmental hazards, substance abuse and social violence, maternal mortality in developing countries, the promises and threats of genetic engineering, and protecting food and water supplies.