The Stanford Health Policy community is comprised of physicians, economists and decision scientists examining how resources are allocated within the health-care system and how these appropriations affect the efficiency, effectiveness and equity of health-care delivery. They evaluate the costs and benefits of different health-care interventions, helping to inform policy decisions, improve health outcomes and public health systems.
Laurence Baker, PhD, a professor of health policy and the Knowles Professor of biology, is an economist who focuses on the organization and economic performance of the U.S. health-care system, such as financial incentives in health care, competition in health-care markets, health insurance and managed care, as well as health-care technology adoption. His research found that fewer than half of the hospitals in California, for example, were following federal policy that calls on U.S. hospitals to make their pricing more transparent.
Grant Miller, PhD, MPP, a professor of health policy and of economics (by courtesy), is a health and development economist focused on research aimed at developing more effective health improvement strategies for developing countries. Miller’s widely cited research found that the U.S. Mexico City Policy—which prohibits U.S. foreign assistance to any family planning organizations that perform or provide counseling on abortion—actually led to an increase in terminations in sub-Saharan Africa. Some current research includes a large interdisciplinary project that investigates human trafficking in Brazil.
Maria Polyakova, PhD, an associate professor of health policy, investigates questions surrounding the role of government in the design and financing of health insurance systems, as well as how policies impact families and professions. Polyakova found that persistent infertility, for example, takes a large toll on mental health and raises the likelihood of divorce. Another study—highlighted in this Washington Post story—found that physicians are indeed among the highest earners in the United States, yet account for only 8.6% of national health-care spending.
Another health economist who combines health, public and labor economics, Maya Rossin-Slater, PhD, associate professor of health policy, focuses on issues in maternal and child well-being, family structure and behavior, and policies targeting disadvantaged populations. Her study that showed the devastating long-term impacts of school shootings for the survivors has been widely cited in the media and government reports. Rossin-Slater’s study that found wealthy Black mothers and infants fare far worse than the poorest white mothers and infants was featured in The New York Times.
Adrienne Sabety, PhD, assistant Professor of health policy, researches health care and the social determinants of health. She conducted a study with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in New York City that looked at barriers to accessing health care for uninsured, undocumented immigrants. Sabety is currently working with San Francisco Bay Area experts in homelessness on an innovative experiment to determine whether giving unhoused people unconditional cash payments will improve their housing insecurity.
