Our Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research (CAHSPER) exists to develop and advance long-lasting solutions that achieve health equity.

CAHSPER is supported by the Institute for Public Health, the Institute for Clinical & Translational Sciences and the Department of Medicine at WashU.

Our mission

We improve health outcomes and equity through health services and economics research and policy translation.

What we do
  • Research: Provide infrastructure and support to facilitate production of innovative health services, policy and economics research in nationally-recognized labs led by CAHSPER-affiliated principal investigators
  • Convening: Bring people together to catalyze new ideas and collaborations
  • Training: Provide tailored training for students, trainees, and junior faculty
  • Policy Translation: Translate our research into meaningful positive local and national impact through partnerships with policymakers, public health leaders, and community members
About health services, economics & policy

Health services, policy, and economics are applied fields that study the quality, safety, accessibility, affordability, outcomes, and costs of health care. We provide timely, rigorous, and actionable evidence to inform policies and interventions that enhance health and health care, with a special focus on health equity for marginalized individuals and communities.

Contact us

Email us at cahsper@wustl.edu.

Receive assistance with database development, methods, policy results, events and more by completing our assistance form.

Our Team

Abigail R. Barker, PhD

Abigail R. Barker, PhD

Associate Director for Policy Partnerships, Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research

Research Assistant Professor, Brown School

Mo Farrell, LMSW

Mo Farrell, LMSW

Manager, Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research

Kenton J.  Johnston, PhD, MPH

Kenton J. Johnston, PhD, MPH

Associate Director for Research, Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research

Additional titles: Associate Professor, School of Medicine; Director, Medicare Innovation Research Lab

Karen Joynt Maddox, MD, MPH

Karen Joynt Maddox, MD, MPH

Co-Director, Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research

Associate Professor of Medicine
Associate Professor, Washington University Brown School of Social Work

Timothy D. McBride, PhD, MS

Timothy D. McBride, PhD, MS

Co-Director, Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research

Bernard Becker Professor, Brown School

Elaine Mercer

Elaine Mercer

Administrator, Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research

Give

Your contribution to the Institute for Public Health helps us train the next generation of public health leaders; fund innovative, transdisciplinary research to improve health status; and eliminate health disparities at home and abroad.