For immediate release: Monday, October 21, 2013
Boston, MA — Two Harvard School of Public Health faculty members from the Department of Health Policy and Management—Ashish Jha and Michelle Mello—have been elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM). They are among 70 newly elected members and ten foreign associates of the organization, which serves as a national resource for independent, scientifically informed analysis and recommendations on human health issues.
Election to the IOM is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. Jha and Mello are among seven newly elected Harvard affiliates.
Mello, professor of law and public health, conducts empirical research into issues at the intersection of law, ethics, and health policy. She is the author of more than 120 articles and book chapters on the medical malpractice system, medical errors and patient safety, research ethics, the obesity epidemic, pharmaceuticals, clinical ethics, and other topics. The recipient of a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Award in Health Policy Research to study disclosure and compensation of medical injuries, Mello is currently leading evaluations of two large-scale federal demonstration projects of “communication-and-resolution” programs, in which hospitals and liability insurers proactively communicate information about unanticipated care outcomes to patients and families, apologize, and in appropriate cases, proactively offer compensation.
Jha, professor of health policy and management, focuses on three major themes in his research: the impact of public policy on the health care delivery system, particularly on quality and costs of care; the role of health information technology in driving improvements in care; and organizational leadership and how it affects the delivery of safe, effective, and efficient care. In his blog, “An Ounce of Evidence,” Jha writes about the U.S. health care system and health care policy, with an eye toward bringing empirical evidence to a wide range of issues.
For more information:
Todd Datz
tdatz@hsph.harvard.edu
617.432.8413
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