AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy, MD, Selected as 2009 Recipient of the William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research.

ARLINGTON, Va. & DEERFIELD, Ill. -- In recognition of her contributions to the field of health services research and her lifelong achievements, Carolyn Clancy, MD, has been named the 2009 recipient of the William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research. The Prize, funded by The Baxter International Foundation and managed by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), will be awarded on June 29, 2009, at the AUPHA Annual Meeting in Chicago, Ill.

A general internist and health services researcher, Dr. Clancy was appointed Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in February 2003. Prior to her appointment as director, Dr. Clancy served as the Agency's acting director and was previously director of AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research. Her major research interests include improving healthcare quality and patient safety, and reducing disparities in care associated with patients' race, ethnicity, gender, income, and education. As director, she launched the first annual reports to the U.S. Congress on healthcare disparities and healthcare quality.

"The Graham Prize Selection Committee, composed of former Prize winners and distinguished health services researchers, admire Dr. Clancy for her passionate commitment to health services research that addresses the most critical needs in healthcare, including quality, safety, and the elimination of disparities in access," said Kyle Grazier, DrPH, University of Michigan professor, and chair of the Graham Prize Selection Committee. "Her individual work, combined with her profound contributions to the development and leadership of AHRQ, made a compelling case for the Committee."

Dr. Clancy is a graduate of Boston College and the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Following her clinical training, she was a Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania.

She currently holds an academic appointment at George Washington University School of Medicine (Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Medicine) and serves as Senior Associate Editor of Health Services Research. Dr. Clancy is widely published in peer-reviewed journals, and has edited and contributed to seven books. She has served on multiple editorial boards and is currently on the board of the Annals of Family Medicine, Annals of Internal Medicine, American Journal of Medical Quality, and Medical Care Research and Review. She is a member of the Institute of Medicine and was elected a Master of the American College of Physicians in 2004.

"I am honored and thrilled to receive this award," said Dr. Clancy. "I'm privileged to work with such terrific colleagues, especially at a time when the field of health services research is showing so clearly that evidence-based information will be critical to reforming healthcare here in the United States."

About the William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research

Since 1986, The Baxter International Foundation and the Association of University Programs in Health Administration have awarded the William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research to recognize researchers who have made major contributions to the health of the public through innovative research in health services. Originally known as The Baxter International Foundation Prize for Health Services Research, the prize was renamed the William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research in 2006 to honor the late William B. Graham, long-time chairman and CEO of Baxter International Inc. The Prize has long been internationally regarded as the premier recognition for individuals conducting health services research.

The Prize acknowledges national or international contributions of health services researchers who apply analytic methods to examine and evaluate the organization, financing, and/or delivery of health services. The Prize recognizes individuals who have had a significant impact on the health of the public in one of three primary focus areas: Health Services Management, Health Policy Development and Healthcare Delivery. The Prize winner is selected annually from a distinguished list of nominees by an international selection committee made up of past Prize winners, distinguished academics, and internationally recognized researchers. The Prize includes an award of $25,000 to the individual and $25,000 to a not-for-profit institution that supports the Prize winner's work.

About the Prize Sponsors

The Baxter International Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX), helps organizations expand access to healthcare in the United States and around the world. The foundation, established in 1981, began to focus exclusively on increasing access to healthcare in 2002 - particularly for the disadvantaged and underserved - in communities where Baxter employees live and work. Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures and markets products that save and sustain the lives of people with hemophilia, immune disorders, infectious diseases, kidney disease, trauma, and other chronic and acute medical conditions. As a global, diversified healthcare company, Baxter applies a unique combination of expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to create products that advance patient care worldwide. For more information, please visit www.baxter.com.

AUPHA is a global network of colleges, universities, faculty, individuals, and organizations dedicated to improving health outcomes by promoting excellence in healthcare management education. AUPHA fosters excellence and innovation in healthcare management education, research, and practice by providing opportunities for member programs to learn from each other, by influencing practice, and by promoting the value of healthcare management education. It is the only non-profit entity of its kind that works to improve the delivery of health services - and thus the health of citizens - throughout the world by educating professional managers at the entry level. AUPHA's membership includes the premier Baccalaureate and Masters degree programs in Health Administration Education in the United States and Canada. Its faculty and individual members represent more than 500 colleges and universities. For more information, please visit www.aupha.org.