IHS News

Stuart Altman, Sol C. Chaikin Professor of National Health Policy

Stuart Altman retires with Emeritus status after 45 years of leadership.

Since 1977, Stuart Altman has championed Heller and Brandeis in roles including Executive Co-Director of the Schneider Institutes and Sol C. Chaikin Professor of National Health Policy. He is a nationally recognized policy leader and a mentor to hundreds of students. The Stuart Altman Chair in Health Policy and an endowed fellowship will help celebrate his legacy.
Cindy Parks Thomas, PhD'00

Professor and Associate Dean for Research Cindy Parks Thomas, PhD'00, chaired a panel discussion at the 2025 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting

Professor Cindy Parks Thomas, PhD’00, chaired a panel discussion on Addressing Special Populations with Complex Clinical and Social Needs at the 2025 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting in Minneapolis, MN.

The 9th Annual Stanley Wallack Memorial Lecture was held on March 27, 2025 with special guest speaker Sarah Emond, MPP'09

Sarah leads the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, a leading non-profit health policy research organization, as President and Chief Executive Officer. Sarah is a graduate of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, where she earned a Master of Public Policy degree with a concentration in health policy. Sarah discussed "How Employers can Save the Health Care System."

Register for Brandeis Forum on Long-Term Supports and Services

On September 29th, local and national experts on long-term services and supports will gather at Brandeis for a half-day forum event made possible by the Jewish Healthcare Foundation. Click to register.

Welcome to the Institute on Healthcare Systems

Jennifer Perloff, PhD'06, Director, Institute on Healthcare Systems
Jennifer Perloff, PhD'06, Director

The Institute on Healthcare Systems (IHS) is home to many innovations in healthcare research and policy, and is dedicated to providing rigorous technical solutions to policymakers and other stakeholders who are striving to improve quality, efficiency, and value. We respect the complexity of healthcare, the corresponding need for rigorous and robust approaches to meaningful and stable reform, and the vital strength of empirical illumination and validation.

IHS was built originally on the vast experience in national health policy of our founders, Stuart Altman and Stan Wallack. Their tradition continues with our deep commitment to the design and evaluation of value-based payment strategies, including the assessment of quality, measurement of resource use and the diffusion of innovation and care redesign. Additional areas of expertise include workforce surveys research, payment policy analysis, home and community based care, and advanced methods including machine learning. All this work is taking place with a strong commitment to health equity.

We hope you find our site useful as you learn more about our research staff and our activities in health services research.

Jennifer Perloff, PhD, Director