The Heller School for Social Policy and Management
Institute on Healthcare Systems

News Archive

Spring 2026

May 2026 Berkshires Overdose Addiction Prevention Collective (BOAPC) Meeting Features IHS Research Presentation.

Atkins Fellow Victoria Mei joined BOAPC on May 14th to present original research on overdose rates and addiction services in cities across Berkshire County. Mei's research lays groundwork for future inquiries into what makes an effective opioid treatment program in one of Massachusetts' most vulnerable regions. The presentation was the culmination of a 2025-2026 collaboration between Mei, Dr. Cynthia Tschampl, Dr. Darren Zinner, and Research Associate Sabrina Rapisarda.

Dr. Cynthia A. Tschampl Delivers Address on Data Erasure at ChangeInSight Data Equity Summit.

At the 2026 ChangeInSight Data Equity Summit, Dr. Tschampl shared insights into the erasure of inclusive data, its impact on community representation and what is being done to address it. Her session, “Where Did the Data Go?” offered a closer look at how data can be applied in real-world settings to better understand community needs and improve outcomes across sectors.

SPIRE Study Phase II, Led by IHS Director Dr. Jen Perloff (PI) and Schneider Co-Director Dr. Karen Donelan (Co-Investigator), Commences at 32 Primary Care Practices Across the Country.
The PCORI-funded SPIRE study was approved in 2025 to advance from a Phase I pilot to full-scale implementation. Led by Drs. Perloff, Donelan, and Mass General Hospital’s Dr. Christine Ritchie, the study will compare the effectiveness of two care models for older adults with complex health needs.  Enrollment has begun as of January 2026.

IHS Team Hosts 2026 ENHANCE Delirium Prevention Study Annual Meeting.
On March 26th, over 60 researchers, patients, family caregivers, clinical teams and policy leaders convened online for the ENHANCE Study's 3rd Annual Stakeholder Meeting. Attendees from 8 health systems across the US came together to celebrate the enrollment of over 1000 patient-caregiver dyads in the study. Delirium is a common and costly condition, as detailed in this ENHANCE stakeholder-designed informational video series, so the mission of prevention is urgent. Dr. Karen Donelan,  Co-Director of the Schneider Institutes, leads the IHS ENHANCE team, which includes Carie Michael, Senior Research Associate; and Bella Cameron, Research Assistant.

Rajan Sonik, PhD’17, appointed Sol C. Chaikin Associate Research Professor of National Health Policy.
An Associate Research Professor in IHS since 2023, Sonik’s research examines how interventions to address the social determinants of health affect health care outcomes, with a special focus on disparities by race, ethnicity and disability status. Sonik leads three ongoing research studies funded by the National Institutes of Health [t.e2ma.net].
Michael Doonan

Dr. Michael Doonan Shares Expertise in Panel on Trump Administration’s Impact on Health Services.
On March 18, Dr. Doonan joined the Regis College Presidential Lecture Series to reflect on how the Trump Administration's policies have influenced healthcare costs, access, public health, and patient outcomes. This panel, co-sponsored by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care,  also brought together Senator Ed Markey, Massachusetts Department of Public Health Commissioner Robert Goldstein, and Massachusetts Public Health Association Executive Director Carlene Pavlos.

Winter 2026

Dr. Cynthia Tschampl Plays Integral Role in Shaping, Delivering End TB North America Regional Conference 2026.

Dr. Cynthia Tschampl, IHS Senior Scientist and Immediate Past Chair of Stop TB USA, once again played a key leadership role at the 2026 End TB USA North American Regional Conference, including co-chairing the symposium titled "Global Political and Financial Shifts: Impact on TB Communities and a Collective Action Response." Dr. Tschampl, also a member of the 2026 End TB Conference Planning Committee, has an extensive research and advocacy portfolio in tuberculosis policy and management. Most recently, she contributed to "Uncovering household tuberculosis infection testing and care patterns using a novel bioinformatics linkage strategy," published in Clinical Infectious Disease. She was proud to support the attendance of three Stop TB USA fellows.

Massachusetts Health Policy Student Forum Connects Future Policy Leaders With Legislators, Officials in Boston.

At the January 2026 Massachusetts Health Policy Student Forum, graduate students from across the state met with policymakers at the Statehouse, Department of Public Health, and Health Policy Commission in Boston. Speakers and panelists offered students their insight into how leaders in the field think about the legislative process, lobbying and advocacy, policymaking informed by social determinants of health, and more.

Stuart Altman, Sol C. Chaikin Professor of National Health Policy and Co-Director, Schneider Institutes for Health Policy and Research

Remembering Stuart Altman.

We are deeply saddened to share that Professor Stuart H. Altman passed away on January 1st, 2026.

Since 1977, Professor Altman championed Heller and Brandeis in roles including Executive Co-Director of the Schneider Institutes and Professor of National Health Policy. He was 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.

Fall 2025

Undergraduate Researchers Drive Policy Insights Through Atkins Heller Fellowship.
As part of the 2025 Atkins Fellows Program, Drs. Karen Donelan and Rajan Sonik welcomed undergraduate researchers to participate in projects that engaged them in multiple aspects of the research process. Under Dr. Donelan’s guidance, Toby Lipson ’26  gathered and analyzed data on caregiver wellbeing for the Supporting Practices in Respecting Elders study. As part of Dr. Sonik’s team, Sydney Duncan ’25 examined state social policy changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Massachusetts Health Policy Forum convenes at UMass Amherst to discuss "Impacts of Medicaid Cuts on Western Massachusetts."
On October 28th, IHS researchers joined local and state policymakers and advocates at UMass Amherst to unpack the effects of drastic recent federal changes to Medicaid on communities in Western Massachusetts.

2025 Princeton Conference Explores "Navigating Uncertainty" in Health Policy.
The 32nd Annual Princeton Conference opened on November 5 with a keynote by Dr. John McDonough of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who shared findings from his forthcoming book, America’s Wrong Turn: U.S. Healthcare in the Neoliberal Era. Sessions throughout the weekend examined key challenges in U.S. health care, including affordability, public health infrastructure, Medicare and Medicaid, employer-sponsored insurance, and the future of care delivery.

IHS Hosts Brandeis Forum on Long-Term Supports and Services.

At Brandeis' Shapiro Campus Center on September 29th, community members who use LTSS joined forces with local and national experts to spotlight opportunities for policy change at a half-day forum event. The program was made possible by the Jewish Healthcare Foundation.

Cynthia Tschampl and colleagues contribute to Health Affairs special issue on the opioid crisis.
In its September 2025 issue, Health Affairs published "Key Informant Perspectives on Pharmacy Bases Methadone Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder In The US," the first of three planned papers based on research by PIs Cynthia A. Tschampl (IHS) and Traci Greene (IBH).

Karen Donelan offers healthcare workforce insights at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
On September 16th, 2025, Professor Karen Donelan, Stuart H. Altman Chair in U.S. Health Policy and Schneider Institute Co-Director, joined Beth Israel and Tufts Medicine workforce executives on a Chan School of Public Health panel to shed light on the future of the healthcare workforce.