Health Services Research & Administration

Message from Department Chair

Welcome to the Department of Health Services Research & Administration!
Thank you for your interest in our department.  You will soon learn about the education our faculty provide and our students engage in, the service and outreach the department as a whole is involved with, and the research our faculty, professional staff, and students conduct. One of our main foci in the department is to better understand the complexities of current health services provision, in its many aspects, and support the development of policies that would help provide quality health services equitably and efficiently, with a particular focus on rural communities.
As our mission states, we work to influence public policies to improve the health of Nebraskans and people everywhere.  We achieve our mission through leadership at the state and national levels in our education, services, and research.

Education
Our department offers a PhD program in Health Services Research, Administration & Policy, we are responsible for the Public Health Administration concentration in the college’s Master of Public Health Program, and our faculty teach the core courses in the Certificate in Public Health Program.

Service and Outreach
Our department engages extensively with the community and works with local, state, and federal agencies to provide analytical support, rigorous methodology, and consultation for policy development and program evaluation. Please visit our Outreach - Community Links webpages to learn more about the community work we conduct and the services we offer.

Research
Department faculty secure extramural funding and lead research teams that study how health care and public health services are financed, organized, and delivered and how public policies affect the health and well-being of both rural and urban populations.  The department’s research improves the fairness of payment systems to both providers and consumers, helps health care providers find more cost-effective means of completing their work, contributes to improvement in care by studying the outcomes of care in the “real world” of practice, and translates research into practice and policy to ensure adequate access to quality health care services for all.

Our department has a diverse student body. Our current students are supported and strongly encouraged to excel in their own education and research.  Our students have presented at national and international conferences, some have published policy briefs and articles in peer-reviewed journals, and many have close working ties with the community.
I invite you to explore our website and learn further about our educational programs, the outreach and service we are engaged in, and our research work through and with the Center for Health Policy Analysis and Rural Health Research.
I encourage you to contact us with any questions you may have.
Warmest regards,

Li-Wu Chen, MHSA, PhD
Professor and Chair
Department of Health Services Research & Administration
College of Public Health
University of Nebraska Medical Center