U-M IHPI

“The best and most influential work in #healthpolicy is typically when people work together across disciplines” (like @umich...) - @jzayanian

What’s unique about Michigan (the state) from a health policy standpoint? “We are a state where we have tried to approach things less ideologically and more practically.” says @mudowp, citing the decision to expand Medicaid. So evidence has a chance to affect policy.

Ayanian: Being at U-M, a public university w/a public mission and a master agreement w/the state health dept. for evaluation/innovation projects, gives IHPI researchers a better chance to focus on studying/improving care across state. (@mudowp says this is a change from past!)

Englesbe: Michigan as a state is a good place to test new ways to fix issues in healthcare. The relationship with @MichiganHHS & @BCBSM is crucial.

It’s important to create and preserve relationships with state officials, including going to Lansing and Detroit or using video chat, in order to partner with them on research & innovation projects, the panelists say.

Is university tenure process changing to take policy engagement/impact into account? Even if the guidelines haven’t changed, Ayanian says, it’s being looked at by some departments/divisions. Not just what research did you publish but how was it used by media, policy, insurers?

Tipirneni and Ayanian note the role of the IHPI staff who can help with various aspects of engaging with policymakers, media, etc (Learn about them here: https://ihpi.umich.edu/about/staff  )

Udow-Phillips - the state gov’t runs on a different schedule from academia & is pulled in many directions. It’s important to understand pressures they face & understand they want the answer tomorrow. (Or yesterday.) It’s important to know what you can do that’s of value to them.

Englesbe: it’s not just government that we should engage with - payors want to pay for high-value care and academic clinicians can bring expertise that can help them.

Udow-Phillips: Decision-makers want digestible, actionable, relevant, timely and doable solutions. We have lots of great ideas but you have to think about them in context.

Ayanian notes that the IHPI’s evaluation of the Healthy Michigan Plan came with a mandate to “tell this story in chapters” and share results along the way so that policymakers could see the impact in near-real time. See the results our team has published: https://ihpi.umich.edu/featured-work/healthy-michigan-plan-evaluation …

Prepare —> Listen ——> Deliver. The three key steps to engaging successfully as a researcher interested #healthpolicy, according to our panelists

When interacting with a policymakers “Do not share the limitations of your study,” says @mudowp . But DO share stories from your experience as a provider or your family, along with your data/ideas, advises @jzayanian.

Which comes first, the paper or the policy engagement? Tipirneni notes that the paper’s framing & depth is important for the national impact but policy partners may need information that may be more straightforward analysis that can be contained in an issue brief or short report.

One or two straightforward images in a paper, or a #visualabstract, can go a long way with getting your work to policymakers and the media, says Ayanian.

Here are some communication tips & tools we’ve put together (behind U-M firewall): https://ihpi.umich.edu/comm-guide