Rothman to lead Center for Health Services Research
Russell Rothman, M.D., MPP, has been named director of the Vanderbilt Center for Health Services Research.
Russell Rothman, M.D., MPP
The Center was established in 2000 by Robert Dittus, M.D., MPH, director of the Institute for Medicine and Public Health, who was recently named associate vice chancellor for Public Health and Health Care and senior associate dean for Population Health Sciences.
Rothman, associate professor of Medicine and Pediatrics and chief of the section of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, is renowned for his work in health communication and quality improvement. He currently serves as the director of the Effective Health Communication Program, assistant director of the Quality Scholars Fellowship Program and co-director of the Community Engaged Research Core of the Vanderbilt Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA).
Dittus said the work of the center, which is part of the Institute for Medicine and Public Health, is more important than ever before. It is dedicated to discovering workable solutions for modern-day problems in health care delivery and organization. Dittus said under Rothman's guidance, he expects the Center for Health Services Research to play a pivotal role in advancing the understanding and practice of medicine to improve the quality of health care and health outcomes for the public.
“Dr. Rothman has been a tremendously successful investigator and mentor and has built a superb research program in effective health communication. He has been an outstanding leader since joining Vanderbilt and we have confidence that the center will greatly benefit from his energy, rigor and leadership,” Dittus said.
“The Center for Health Services Research has had tremendous growth and success in the past decade. We plan to continue the center's growth and advance research and knowledge that improves the quality, efficiency and equity of health care,” said Rothman.
The center includes more than 100 affiliated faculty and staff investigating ways to improve health care systems and satisfy the six criteria for patient care as established by the Institute of Medicine: to make health care safe, timely, effective, patient-centered, efficient and equitable.
Key research units of the center include: clinical epidemiology and outcomes research, clinical improvement and operations research, clinical economics and decision science, health promotion and disease management, behavioral health and health policy.
“Russell has been a tremendous asset and leader to our department, and we are delighted to support him in this new and important role,” said Nancy Brown, M.D., chair of the Department of Medicine.
“Improving the quality and effectiveness of health care is a critical goal for our institution, and we are proud to have Dr. Rothman help lead this effort.”