National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology (NICHSR)
Core Health Policy Library Recommendations, 2011
Compiled by AcademyHealth
Funded by the National Library of Medicine
Section One
Background:
At the request of the National Information Center for Health Services Research and Health Care Technology (NICHSR) at the National Library of Medicine (NLM), AcademyHealth has updated a list of books, journals, and websites intended to serve as the basis of a core health policy collection or library. Since that list was originally created more than ten years ago, the field of health policy has expanded. The traditional role of the library has changed as well. Those who used to rely on the library as their sole source for information now look to the Internet to locate resources. As technology has improved, libraries have evolved to meet the needs of their consumers. With that in mind, NLM asked AcademyHealth to update the health policy list, focusing on core (essential/indispensible) health policy materials—books (print and e-books), journals (print and online), bibliographic databases, and select electronic resources such as alerts, blogs, newsletters, and Websites.
What is Health Policy?
Health policy is an incredibly broad field that encompasses many disciplines and a landscape that is constantly changing. For the purposes of this project, we used the following definition:
The development by government and other policy makers of present and future objectives pertaining to health care and the health care system, and the articulation of arguments and decisions regarding these objectives in legislation, judicial opinions, regulations, guidelines, standards, etc. that affect health care and public health.
Health and healthcare intersect with so many topics, ranging from bioethics, to reproductive technologies, to disparities, to rural health, to health reform, to comparative health systems, etc., that a concise, core list could not encompass them all. Thus, after input from a subset of AcademyHealth’s Health Services Research Advisory Committee, a panel of twelve librarians, and AcademyHealth and NLM staff, we have opted to focus this list on general domestic health policy issues.
Researchers and consumers need to access specific resources to supplement their policy analyses and develop a solid base of evidence, and librarians can direct them to appropriate topic-specific primary sources of information. For librarians it is becoming increasingly important to access numerous sources for health services research. In their role as information broker, librarians sift through the myriad resources available, directing their consumers to the appropriate health policy information. To paraphrase several librarians, there was a time when librarians were the gatekeepers. Now, with the Internet and the ease of accessing information, the gate is wide-open. It is the librarian’s job to guide individuals to the correct path. Librarians look at the world of information and provide the filters, helping their customers—whether they are students, academics, researchers, or the general public—find the information they need.
Methodology
Librarians and health services research/health policy experts from academic institutions, health policy centers, non-profit organizations, and federal agencies provided invaluable input to this project. Using NLM and AcademyHealth staff recommendations, and drawing on an extensive list of AcademyHealth contacts, twelve librarian experts (librarian panel) and thirteen health policy experts (policy panel), were identified to develop and review the resource list. (Please refer to Section Three of this report for a list of the experts.)
Using the NLM Collection Development Manual (2004) definition as a guide, librarian panelists and staff culled through library collections and the Internet to develop lists of resources. In making their recommendations, the librarian panel reviewed their collections, taking various factors into consideration: number of times a title had been cited; circulation/request rates; personal experience/familiarity with the title; and materials faculty use in their health policy classes. Staff tallied recommendations from the librarian panelists and created four draft lists – books, journals, bibliographic databases, and electronic resources – for review and discussion.
To be considered as a book or a journal, a resource had to be readily available and accessible in print or on the Internet. To assist panelists with their review, the 2009 Journal Citation Reports® (JCR) impact factor and immediacy index was provided for the journals panelists suggested. As noted on the JCR’s Website, “the impact factor is a measure of the frequency with which the average article in a journal has been cited in a particular year or period. The annual Journal Citation Reports impact factor is a ratio between citations and recent citable items published. The immediacy index is calculated by dividing the number of citations published in a given year by the number of articles published in that year. Note that the index is a per-article average.”
NLM and AcademyHealth convened the librarian panel in person in Washington, DC on January 13, 2011.Prior to the in-person meeting, the librarian panel received the following four documents for review:
- Draft health policy core books (115 titles)
- Draft health policy alerts, blogs (13 suggestions), newsletters (7 suggestions), and journals (81 titles)
- Draft bibliographic databases (24 suggestions)
- Draft Websites (98 suggestions)
At the meeting, the librarian panel discussed each resource and then voted on whether or not each resource should be included in the core list. Eleven panelists with voting privileges participated in the meeting. Any suggestion that received six or more votes was automatically left on the list for review by the second panel. In a few instances, suggestions receiving less than six votes were left on the list for consideration by the policy panel. (Neither AcademyHealth nor NLM staff voted.)
The librarians agreed to revise the list categories, and agreed on the following categories:
- books
- journals
- bibliographic databases
- select electronic resources (includes alerts, blogs, newsletters, and Websites).
After the meeting, staff revised the lists and re-circulated them electronically to the librarian panel for final review and comment.
Once all of the librarians’ comments were incorporated, staff shared the revised lists with the policy panel for review and comment. Input from the policy panel was merged with input from the librarian panel to develop the final core library module recommendations contained in Section Two of this report.
How to Use This List
This list of resources is not intended to be a comprehensive catalog of health policy resources, but rather, to provide a set of core, authoritative domestic resources considered valuable by librarians, health policy experts, and those interested in the fields of health services research and health policy.
Recent health reform legislation has resulted in a continuously evolving policy landscape; thus, the field is growing rapidly. We recommend that users of these lists search for updated versions of the resources cited here in order to ensure they are accessing the most recent information. Further, we suggest using these lists as an initial guide, and that researchers seek out a librarian for in-depth research assistance.
Librarians may wish to utilize this module by choosing specific content areas that will benefit their specific library needs. Likewise, faculty developing new courses may look to this list for suggested readings.
Section Two
Core Health Policy Books
A Note to the Reader: The following is list of core books in general, domestic health policy. We acknowledge that health policy is a varied and diverse field, with numerous subspecialties. This list intentionally focuses on titles that are general in nature and is alphabetized by last name of the primary author. We recommend periodically checking the publisher's Website for the most recent editions available as well as current pricing information.
- Aaron HJ, Schwartz WB with Cox M. Can we say no? The challenge of rationing health care. Washington, DC: Brooking Institution Press; 2005. Publisher url: http://www.brookings.edu/press/Books/2005/sayingno.aspx
- Aday L. Reinventing public health: policies and practices for a healthy nation, 1st edition. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass; 2005 Publisher url: http://www.josseybass.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0787975613.html
- Almgren G. Health care politics, policy, and services. NY: Springer; 2006. Publisher url: http://www.springerpub.com/product/9780826102362
- Andersen RM, Rice TH, and Kominski GF, editors. Changing the U.S. health care system: key issues in health services policy and management, 3rd edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 2007. Publisher url: http://www.josseybass.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0787985244.html
- Barr DA. Health disparities in the United States: social class, race, ethnicity, and health. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press; 2008. Publisher url: http://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/ecom/MasterServlet/GetItemDetailsHandler?iN=9780801888212&qty=1&source=2&viewMode=3&loggedIN=false&JavaScript=y
- Barr DA. Introduction to U.S. health policy: The organization, financing, and delivery of health care in America, 2nd edition. Johns Hopkins University Press; 2007. Publisher url: http://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/ecom/MasterServlet/GetItemDetailsHandler?iN=9780801885747&qty=1&source=2&viewMode=3&loggedIN=false&JavaScript=y
- Bodenheimer T, and Grumbach K. Understanding health policy: a clinical approach, 5th edition. NY: McGraw-Hill; 2009. Publisher url:http://www.mhprofessional.com/product.php?isbn=0071496068
- Brown LD, Jacobs LR. The private abuse of public interest: market myths and policy muddles. Chicago: University of Chicago Press; 2008. Publisher url: http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/P/bo6007107.html
- Blumenthal D, Morone J. The heart of power: health and politics in the oval office. Berkeley: University of California Press; 2009. Publisher url: http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520260306
- Cassel CK. Medicare matters: what geriatric medicine can teach American health care. Berkeley: University of California Press; 2007. Publisher url: http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520251564
- Cutler D. Your money or your life: strong medicine for America’s health care system. Oxford University Press; 2005. Publisher url: http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Economics/Health/?view=usa&ci=9780195181326
- Donabedian A. Exploration in quality assessment and monitoring, Volume 1. The definition of quality and approaches to its assessment. Ann Arbor, MI: Health Administration Press; 1980. Available from: http://www.amazon.com/Definition-Approaches-Assessment-Explorations-Monitoring/dp/0914904485
- Donabedian A. Exploration in quality assessment and monitoring, Volume 2. The criteria and standards of quality. Ann Arbor, MI: Health Administration Press; 1982. Available from: http://www.amazon.com/Criteria-Standards-Explorations-Assessment-Monitoring/dp/091490468X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1301691677&sr=1-2
- Donabedian A. Exploration in quality assessment and monitoring, Volume 3. The methods and findings of quality assessment and monitoring: an illustrated analysis. Ann Arbor, MI: Health Administration Press; 1985. Available from: http://www.amazon.com/Methods-Findings-Quality-Assessment-Monitoring/dp/0914904884/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1301691722&sr=1-3-fkmr0
- Feldstein P. Health policy issues: an economic perspective, 4th edition. Chicago: Health Administration Press; 2007. Publisher url: http://www.ache.org/pubs/redesign/productcatalog.cfm?pc=www1-2078
- Fox DM. The convergence of science and governance: research, health policy, and American states. Berkeley: University of California Press; 2010. Publisher url: http://www.worldscibooks.com/economics/3534.html
- 17. Fuchs V. Who shall live? Health, economics, and social choice (economic ideas leading to the 21st century, Volume 3). NJ: World Scientific Publishing; 1998. Publisher url: http://www.worldscibooks.com/economics/3534.html
- Funigiello PJ. Chronic politics: health care security from FDR to George W. Bush. KS: University Press of Kansas; 2005. Publisher url: http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/funchr.html
- Greenwald HP. Healthcare in the United States: organization, management, and policy. Jossey-Bass; 2010. Publisher url: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0787995479.html
- Harrington C, Estes CL. Health policy: crisis and reform in the U.S. health care delivery system. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett; 2008. Publisher url: http://www.jblearning.com/catalog/9780763746575/
- Henderson JW. Health economics and policy (with Economic Applications), 4th edition. Australia: Thomson/South-Western. 2008 (The 5th edition will be forthcoming June 2011.) Publisher url: http://www.cengage.com/search/productOverview.do?Ntt=james w. henderson||9780324645187&Ntk=all||P_Isbn13&Ns=P_CopyRight_Year|1&N=0
- Holahan J, Weil A, Wiener JM. Federalism and health policy. Washington, DC: Urban Institute Press; 2003. Publisher url: http://www.urban.org/uipress/publications/210805.html
- Institute of Medicine. Advancing the quality of health care: a policy statement. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 1974. Publisher url: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=9933
- Institute of Medicine. Crossing the quality chasm: a new health system for the 21st century. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2001. Publisher url: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10027
- Institute of Medicine. Health professions education: a bridge to quality. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2003. Publisher url: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10681
- Institute of Medicine. HHS in the 21st century: charting a new course for a healthier America. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2009. Publisher url: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12513
- Institute of Medicine. Insuring America’s health: principles and recommendations. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2004. Publisher url: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10874
- Institute of Medicine. Knowing what works in health care: a roadmap for the nation. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2008. Publisher url: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12038
- Jacobs L, Skocpol T. Health care reform and American politics: what everyone needs to know. NY: Oxford University Press; 2010. Publisher url: http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Politics/AmericanPolitics/?view=usa&ci=9780199769124
- Johnson H, Broder D. The system: the American way of politics at the breaking point. Boston: Little, Brown and Company; 1997. Available from: http://www.amazon.com/System-American-Politics-Breaking-Point/dp/0316111457#reader_0316111457
- Jost TS. Health care at risk: a critique of the consumer-driven movement. Duke University Press; 2007. Available from: http://www.amazon.com/Health-Care-Risk-Critique-Consumer-Driven/dp/0822341247
- Kingdon JW. Agendas, alternatives, and public policies, 2nd edition. NY: Longman; 2010. Available from: http://www.amazon.com/Agendas-Alternatives-Public-Policies-2nd/dp/0673523896
- Kovner AR, Knickman JR, editors. Jonas and Kovner’s health care delivery in the United States, 9th edition. New York: Springer Pub. Co. 2008. Publisher url: http://www.springerpub.com/product/9780826120984
- Longest BB Jr. Health policymaking in the United States, 5th edition. Chicago: Health Administration Press; 2010. Publisher url: http://www.ache.org/pubs/redesign/productcatalog.cfm?pc=WWW1-2149
- Luft HS. Total cure: the antidote to the health care crisis. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; 2008. Publisher url: http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?recid=29264
- Mahon A, Walshe K, Chambers N. A reader in health policy and management. Open University Press; 2010. Publisher url: http://mcgraw-hill.co.uk/openupusa/html/0335233678.html
- McDonough J. Inside national health reform. University of California Press and the Milbank Memorial Fund; 2011. (Forthcoming: September 2011.) Publisher url: http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520270190
- McLaughlin CP, McLaughlin CD. Health policy analysis: an interdisciplinary approach. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett; 2008. Publisher url: http://www.jblearning.com/catalog/9780763744427/
- McLaughlin, CG. Health policy and the uninsured. Washington, DC: Urban Institute Press; 2004. Publisher url: http://www.urban.org/uipress/publications/210925.html
- Oberlander J. The political life of medicare. University of Chicago Press; 2003.Publisher url: http://www.amazon.com/American-Health-System-University-Casebook/dp/1566624819
- Rosenblatt RE, Law SA, Rosenbaum S. Law and the American healthcare system. Westbury, NY: Foundation Press; 1997. Available from: http://www.amazon.com/American-Health-System-University-Casebook/dp/1566624819
- Rovner J. Health care policy and politics a to z, 3rd edition. Washington, DC: CQ Press; 2009. Publisher url: http://www.cqpress.com/product/Health-Care-Policy-and-Politics-A-to-Z-4.html
- Shi L, Singh DA. Essentials of the US health care system, 2nd edition. Sudbury MA: Jones & Bartlett; 2010. Publisher url: http://www.jblearning.com/catalog/9780763763800/
- Sparrow M. License to steal: how fraud bleeds America's health care system. Boulder, CO: Westview Press; 2000. Available from: http://www.amazon.com/License-Steal-bleeds-americas-health/dp/0813368103
- Starr P. The social transformation of American medicine: the rise of a sovereign profession and the making of a vast industry. United States: Basic Books; 1982. Available from: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Starr+P.++The+social+transformation+of+American+Medicine%3A+the+rise+of+a+sovereign+profession+and+the+making+of+a+vast+industry.+United+States%3B+1982.&x=16&y=16
- Stevens RA, Rosenberg CE, Burns LR, editors. History and health policy in the United States: putting the past back in. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press; 2006. Publisher url: http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu/acatalog/__History_and_Health_Policy_in_the_United_States__2533.html
- Sultz HA, Young KM. Health care USA: understanding its organization and delivery, 7th edition. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett; 2011. Publisher url: http://www.jblearning.com/catalog/9780763784584/
- Teitelbaum JB, Wilensky SE. Essential readings in health policy and law. Sudbury MA. Jones & Bartlett; 2009. Publisher url: http://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/ecom/MasterServlet/GetItemDetailsHandler?iN=9780801884313&qty=1&source=2&viewMode=3&loggedIN=false&JavaScript=y
- Weissert CS, and Weissert WG. Governing health: the politics of health policy, 3rd edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press; 2006. Publisher url: http://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/ecom/MasterServlet/GetItemDetailsHandler?iN=9780801884313&qty=1&source=2&viewMode=3&loggedIN=false&JavaScript=y
Core Health Policy Journals
A Note to the Reader:A Note to the Reader: The following is list of core journals in general, domestic health policy. We acknowledge that health policy is a varied and diverse field, with numerous subspecialties. Journals marked with a single asterisk (*) are considered to be leading medical journals that contain articles on health policy and should be considered as core to all health-related libraries.
Journal Title
- American Journal of Managed Care
- American Journal of Public Health
- Annals of Internal Medicine*
- Archives of Internal Medicine*
- BMC Health Services Research
- Forum for Health Economics and Health Policy (formerly known as Frontiers in Health
- Policy Research)
- Health Affairs
- Health Care Financing Review**
- Health Care Management Review
- Health Policy
- Health Policy and Planning
- HSR/Health Services Research
- Implementation Science
- Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing
- JAMA – Journal of the American Medical Association*
- JAMIA - Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association
- Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved
- Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law
- Journal of Public Health Policy
- Medical Care: Official Journal of the Medical Care Section, APHA
- Medical Care Research and Review
- Medicare & Medicaid Research Review
- New England Journal of Medicine*
- Psychiatric Services
- Public Health Reports
- The Milbank Quarterly
- Value in Health
** Although this journal is now defunct—it was replaced by Medicare & Medicaid Research Review—articles from 1998-2008 can be accessed and searched at https://www.cms.gov/HealthCareFinancingReview.
Core Health Policy Bibliographic Databases
A Note to the Reader:Below please find a list of suggested core bibliographic databases in health policy. The content in the majority of these databases expands beyond health policy. Individuals using these databases should tailor their searches to their specific needs.
| Database Name | URL | Description |
|---|---|---|
| CINAHL® (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) | http://www.ebscohost.com/cinahl/ | CINAHL® provides abstracts of articles from over 924 journals (and some full-text documents from nursing organizations). Primarily covering nursing issues, the database also covers the topics of allied health and health sciences It provides patient perspective, but the user must search for "methods" to retrieve articles that would relate to health services research methods. (Subscription.) |
| Cochrane Library | http://www.thecochranelibrary.com/view/0/index.html | The Cochrane Library is a collection of six databases (systematic reviews, central register of controlled trials, methodology register, database of abstracts of reviews of effects, health technology assessment database, and NHS economic evaluation database) that contain different types of high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making, and a seventh database that provides information about groups in The Cochrane Collaboration. The Cochrane Library identifies itself as producing independent, high quality evidence for health care decision making. (Free.) |
| EmbaseTM | http://embase.com/info/what-is-embase | EmbaseTM contains 23 million indexed records covering over 7,500 current, mostly peer-reviewed. journals in the biomedical sciences. (Subscription.) |
| Health BusinessTM Elite | http://www.ebscohost.com/biomedical-libraries/health-business-elite | This database provides comprehensive journal content detailing all aspects of health care administration and other non-clinical aspects of health care institution management. Topics covered include hospital management, hospital administration, marketing, human resources, computer technology, facilities management and insurance. |
| Health Policy Reference CenterTM | http://www.ebscohost.com/government/health-policy-reference-center | Health Policy Reference CenterTM is a comprehensive full-text database covering all aspects of health policy and related issues. This collection offers unmatched full-text coverage of information relevant to many areas that are integral to health policy. (Subscription.) |
| LexisNexis® | http://www.lexisnexis.com | LexisNexis® provides comprehensive access to government, news, business and legal information, i.e., Congressional hearings, Congressional research, history, legal research, U.S. serials, etc. (Subscription.) |
|
U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) Catalog AND Locator Plus |
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=nlmcatalog AND |
The National Library of Medicine (NLM) Catalog provides access to NLM bibliographic data for journals, books, audiovisuals, computer software, electronic resources and other materials. Links to the library's holdings in LocatorPlus, NLM's online public access catalog, are also provided. (Free.) LocatorPlus is one of NLM's free, online catalogs. Use LocatorPlus to find records for serials and books not in the NLM collection, but owned by regional libraries. Also notes an item’s availability. (Free.) |
| New York Academy of Medicine's Grey Literature Report/Database | http://www.nyam.org/library/online-resources/grey-literature-report | The New York Academy of Medicine's Grey Literature Report/Database is an online, bimonthly publication alerting readers to new grey literature publications in health services research and selected public health topics. All resources are added and indexed in an online catalog. Publications listed in the report can be found in the New York Academy of Medicine’s library catalog.(Free.) |
| PolicyFile | http://www.policyfile.com/marketing/about.jsp | Policyfile enables users to access timely, updated information from over 350 public policy think tanks, non-governmental organizations, research institutes, university centers, advocacy groups, and other entities. Over 75 public policy topics are covered, from foreign policy to domestic policy. The majority of records link to the full-text report, paper, document or other source. (Subscription; there is a fee for the full-text articles/reports, etc.) |
| PubMED/MEDLINE® | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed | PubMed comprises approximately 20 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE&ref;, life science journals, and online books. PubMed citations and abstracts include the fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, and preclinical sciences. PubMed is the National Library of Medicine (NLM) platform for searching MEDLINE&ref; and other content. It also provides access to additional relevant Websites and links to the other NCBI molecular biology resources. (Free; may need subscription to access journal articles.) |
| Scopus | http://www.scopus.com/home.url | According to the Scopus homepage, this is the largest abstract and citation database of research literature and quality web sources covering nearly 18,000 titles from more than 5,000 publishers. Scopus covers the same source titles as MEDLINE® and EmbaseTM. Institutional access is required to fully benefit from Scopus. Further, Scopus provides the number of citations of the article in Scopus and alerts to let one know when the article has been cited in Scopus. It also provides breakdowns (i.e., applicable numbers) of a retrieval set by year, authors, subjects, and document types and provides links to Web resources and patents matching the search criteria. It provides a list of references included in articles and, for applicable records, includes EMTREE Drug Terms and Medical Terms and MESH terms. Scopus also features an Author Identifier to automatically match an author’s published research including the h-index; a Citation Tracker to find, check and track citations in real-time; an Affiliation Identifier to automatically identify and match an organization with all its research output; a Journal Analyzer to provides insight into journal performance and interoperability with SciVerse ScienceDirect, Reaxis and ProQuest’s CSA Illumina. (Subscription.) |
| Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) |
http://wokinfo.com/products_tools/multidisciplinary/webofscience/ssci OR |
Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) is an interdisciplinary citation index product of Thomson Reuters' Healthcare & Science division. It was developed by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) from the Science Citation Index. This citation database covers some 2,474 of the world's leading journals of social sciences across more than 50 disciplines. It is made available online through the Web of Science service for a fee. This database product provides information to identify the articles cited most frequently and by what publisher and author. The second url allows access to the same information via ProQuest/DialogTM through the Social SciSearch® database. Social SciSearch® is an international, multidisciplinary index to the literature of the social, behavioral, and related sciences, produced by Thomson Scientific. Social SciSearch® contains all of the records published in the Social Sciences Citation Index.(Subscription.) |
| THOMAS (Library of Congress) | http://thomas.loc.gov/home/abt_thom.html | THOMAS searches federal legislation: bills, resolutions, activity in Congress, Congressional Record, schedules, calendars, committee information, presidential nominations, and treaties. (Free.) |
| Westlaw Health Policy Tracking Service | http://west.thomson.com/westlaw/general-counsel/health-policy.aspx | The Westlaw Health Policy Tracking Services databases are organized around key health care legal topics. Features snapshots (concise pictures of current health care legislations) and issue briefs, which contain expert analysis and guidance on hot topics in health care. (Subscription.) |
Core Health Policy Select Electronic Resources
A Note to the Reader:Below please find select general, domestic health policy electronic resources—alerts, blogs, newsletters, and websites. We suggest using this list as a guide, utilizing the resources for informative purposes. We recommend deferring to your librarian for assistance with research questions.
| Site Name | URL | Description | Type of Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| AARP's Public Policy Institute | http://www.aarp.org/research/ppi | The AARP Public Policy Institute promotes the development of sound, creative policies to address our common need for economic security, health care, and quality of life. Access state data on Americans 50 plus, AARP public policies, and reports from the Website. | Website |
| AcademyHealth | http://academyhealth.org/ | AcademyHealth is the professional home for health services researchers, policy analysts, and practitioners, and is a non-partisan resource for the health services research and policy communities. AcademyHealth produces a wealth of publications, ranging from newsletters to issue briefs to monographs and special reports. Its publications are key resources in several substantive areas, including health care financing and organization, purchasing, quality improvement, and rural, state, and international health policy. | Website |
| Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) | http://www.ahrq.gov/ | AHRQ provides evidence-based information on health care outcomes, quality, cost, use, and access. The site includes access to data (e.g., MEPS, HCUP, CAHPS), analyses, and papers, and allows users to register for electronic updates. | Website |
| Alliance for Health Reform | http://www.allhealth.org/ | The Alliance for Health Reform is a non-partisan, non-profit group that offers a full array of resources and viewpoints, in a number of formats, to elected officials and their staffs, journalists, policy analysts and advocates. The Alliance organizes forums, releases issue briefs, and provides a media resource service. | Website |
| American College of Surgeons Health Policy Research Institute | http://www.acshpri.org/index.html | The American College of Surgeons Health Policy Research Institute studies and reports on issues relating to surgery in the USA. It offers advice, analysis, and original research. Access reports and data from the Website. | Website |
| American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research – Health Policy Studies | http://www.aei.org/ra/7 | The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research is a private, nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution dedicated to research and education on issues of government, politics, economics, and social welfare. The health policy studies program releases information on health care policy, Medicare reform, health coverage for the uninsured, the role of private-sector solutions to public health problems, drug policy, the role of the FDA, the development of vaccines, and the effects of price controls on pharmaceutical R&D. | Website |
| American Health Line (AHL) | http://americanhealthline.com | American Health Line is an online publication that provides a daily news update on health care. AHL offers a concise, accurate, nonpartisan synthesis of the day's health care news in 15 to 20 stories, delivered via e-mail daily. | Alert/tracking service. (Subscription.) |
| American Public Health Association (APHA) | http://www.apha | The American Public Health Association is the oldest and most diverse organization of public health professionals in the world and has been working to improve public health since 1872. APHA and its state affiliates represent over 50,000 health professionals and others who work to promote health, prevent disease and ensure conditions in which all can be safe and healthy. | Website |
| AMIA | http://www.amia.org | AIMA is the professional home for biomedical and health informaticians. As such, it has a very active program relating to health information policy for all dimensions of health care from translational bioinformatics, clinical informatics and public health informatics. JAMIA is its journal and it is the most highly cited informatics journal with a number of articles and policy positions relating to health information and communications technology and related policy. | Website |
| BNA Health Care Policy Report | http://www.bna.com/products/health/hcpr.htm | The BNA Health Care Policy Report uncovers behind-the-scenes information about health care regulation and policy. | Alert/tracking service. (Subscription.) |
| The Brookings Institute/The Engleberg Center for Health Care Reform | http://www.brookings.edu/health.aspx | The Engelberg Center’s mission is to develop data-driven, practical policy solutions that promote broad access to high-quality, affordable, and innovative care in the United States. It conducts research and makes policy recommendations. Yet, the Center also facilitates the development of new consensus around key issues and provides technical support to implement and evaluate new solutions in collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders. | Website |
| Center on Budget and Policy Priorities | http://www.cbpp.org | The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities conducts research and analysis to help shape public debates over proposed budget and tax policies and to help ensure that policymakers consider the needs of low-income families and individuals in these debates. | Website |
| Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) | http://www.cms.gov/home/rsds.asp | The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is the federal agency that administers the Medicare program and monitors the Medicaid programs offered by each state. Access a plethora of research, data, statistics, surveys, and systems from their Website. | Website |
| Center for Studying Health Systems Change | http://www.hschange.org | The Center for Studying Health Systems Change conducts health policy research and analysis focused on the U.S. health care system to inform the thinking and decisions of policy makers in government and private industry. Additionally, HSC studies contribute more broadly to the body of health care policy research that enables decision makers to understand the national and local market forces driving changes in the health system. | Website |
| The Commonwealth Fund | http://www.commonwealthfund.org | The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation that aims to promote a high performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society's most vulnerable. It produces more than 100 publications a year; its Website also contains health data, maps, surveys, and other informative tools. | Website |
| Congressional Budget Office (CBO)Health | http://www.cbo.gov/publications/collections/collections.cfm?collect=10 | The Congressional Budget Office projects the budgetary impacts of federal health care programs, prepares studies of health policy issues, and estimates the budgetary and other effects of proposals to alter the health care system. | Website |
| CQ Health Beat | http://corporate.cqrollcall.com/content/354/en/HealthBeat | CQ Health Beat tracks critical developments in health policy. | Alert/tracking service. (Subscription). |
| Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care | http://www.dartmouthatlas.org/ | For more than 20 years, the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care has documented glaring variations in how medical resources are distributed and used in the United States. The project uses Medicare data to provide information and analysis about national, regional, and local markets, as well as hospitals and their affiliated physicians. | Website |
| Health Affairs Blog | http://healthaffairs.org/blog | Blog from Health Affairs, a leading journal of health policy thought and research. | Blog |
| The Health Care Blog | http://matthewholt.typepad.com/the_health_care_blog/2005/01/about_the_healt.html | The Health Care Blog prints original material from many contributors and syndicates posts from other bloggers. | Blog |
| HealthCare.gov | http://www.healthcare.gov | The creation of the HealthCare.gov Website was a requirement of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that President Obama signed into law in March 2010; the site is designed to provide comprehensive, easy-to-understand information on health insurance options. It presents extensive information on how the new health care reform legislation affects specific groups of consumers. Includes information on preventive care and how to compare the quality of care patients receive at local facilities. | Website |
| Healthinsuranceinfo.net | http://healthinsuranceinfo.net | Healthinsuranceinfo.net provides consumer oriented guides on insurance regulations in each state. | Website |
| Health Policy Picks | http://www.kaiseredu.org/Health-Policy-Picks.aspx | Health Policy Picks is a monthly selection of recent publications, such as technical reports, conference proceedings, and other material produced by organizations and government agencies that conduct analysis and research. Is a partnership between KaiserEDU.org and the New York Academy of Medicine Library's Grey Literature Collection. | Alert/Tracking Service |
| HealthReformGPS | http://www.healthreformgps.org | HealthReformGPS has been designed to present unbiased information about the health reform legislation This project, specifically designed to help people understand the legislation and its implementation, will be particularly useful to federal and state legislative and public agency staff, private organizations and interest groups involved in implementation, health policy researchers, and the press. | Website> |
| Health Services Research Administration (HRSA) | http://www.hrsa.gov/index.html | As noted on its Website, HRSA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable. Comprising six bureaus and 13 offices, HRSA provides leadership and financial support to health care providers in every state and U.S. territory. HRSA grantees provide health care to uninsured people, people living with HIV/AIDS, and pregnant women, mothers and children. They train health professionals and improve systems of care in rural communities. | Website |
| Healthwatch | http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch | Healthwatch is The Hill’s healthcare blog. The Hill has been the newspaper for and about Congress, breaking stories from Capitol Hill, K Street and the White House. | Blog |
| Health Wonk Review | http://www.healthwonkreview.com/mt | The Health Wonk Review is a biweekly compendium of the best of the health policy Blogs. More than two dozen health policy, infrastructure, insurance, technology, and managed care Bloggers participate by contributing their best recent Blog postings to a roving digest, with each issue hosted at a different participant's Blog. | Blog |
| The Heritage Foundation | http://www.askheritage.org/about | The Heritage Foundation is a public policy research organization. Per the Website, "as conservatives, we believe the values and ideas that motivated our Founding Fathers are worth conserving. And as policy entrepreneurs, we believe the most effective solutions are consistent with those ideas and values. | Website |
| HSR Information Central/Health Policy page | http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hsrinfo/health_economics.html | HSR Information Central is a health services research and health policy research portal run by the National Library of Medicine. Links to various health policy resources. | Web Portal |
| Institute of Medicine | http://www.iom.edu | The Institute of Medicine (IOM), the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences, is an independent, nonprofit organization that works outside of government to provide unbiased and authoritative advice to decision makers and the public with the aim of improving health. IOM reports provide objective and straightforward advice to decision makers and the public. This site includes IOM reports published after 1998. Reports can be browsed by Type, Topic, Date, Series, etc. | Website |
| Kaiser Family Foundation |
AND |
Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit, private operating foundation focusing on the major health care issues facing the U.S., as well as the U.S. role in global health policy. The Website provides health care research and health policy analysis papers as well as a large-scale health news and information service and a series of specialized Websites (i.e. statehealthfacts), featuring both data they produce as well as the latest and best data from others. | Website |
| KaiserEDU.org | http://www.kaiseredu.org | KaiserEdu is a Website of the Kaiser Family Foundation, providing access to resources and information on major areas of health care policy,. Access narrated slide lectures and collections of background materials, including research, data, and policy analysis. The site also includes concise summaries of more narrow policy debates along with links to background materials, including policy reports, articles published in the peer-reviewed literature, and key data. Contains a journal browser. | Website |
| Kaiser Health News (KHN): Daily Health Policy Report | http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Headlines.aspx | A program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, KHN provides high-quality coverage of health policy issues and developments at the federal and state levels. Access current and archived reports from the Website. | Alert/Tracking Service/Newsletter |
| LTCFocUS.org | http://ltcfocus.org/default.aspx | LTCFocUS.org provides data on nursing home care in the US. Helps researchers trace relationships between state policies, local market forces, and the quality of long-term care. | Website |
| Mathematica | http://www.mathematica-mpr.com | Mathematica is a policy research organization that provides data and analysis on the effectiveness of health care investments. It collects and analyzes data, evaluates programs, summarizes policy implications, identifies solutions, and translates findings into practice. This work is disseminated in reports, articles, and other publications, many of which can be found for free on the Website. | Website |
| Medicare Payment Assessment Commission | http://www.medpac.gov | The Medicare Payment Assessment Commission is an independent Congressional agency established by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-33) to advise the U.S. Congress on issues affecting the Medicare program. | Website |
| National Academy for State Health Policy | http://www.nashp.org | The National Academy for State Health Policy is an independent academy of state health policymakers working together to identify emerging issues, develop policy solutions, and improve state health policy and practice. | Website |
| National Bureau of Economics Research | http://www.nber.org | The National Bureau of Economics Research Website provides access to academic health policy/economics papers that tend to be more empirical-based works - useful for examining the evidence before it appears in the peer-reviewed journals. | Website |
| National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) | http://www.cdc.gov/nchs | The National Center for Health Statistics is the nation's principal health statistics agency. It compiles statistical information to guide actions and policies to improve the health of Americans. Access reports, surveys, and data from its Website. | Website |
| National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) | http://www.ncsl.org/IssuesResearch/Health/tabid/160/Default.aspx | The National Conference of State Legislatures is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation's 50 states, its commonwealths and territories. NCSL provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues. Access webinars, reports, and research from its Website. | Website |
| National Governors Association (NGA) | http://www.nga.org | Within the National Governors Association, the Health and Human Services Committee (HHS) handles issues dealing with health care, particularly as they relate to Medicaid, and federal-state safety net programs such as TANF, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance and other social services. Access policies from its Website. | Website |
| National Health Policy Forum | http://www.nhpf.org | The National Health Policy Forum’s mission is to cultivate a learning community among key senior staff in Congress, its support agencies, and the executive branch of the federal government in order to improve the policymaking process on the nation's critical health issues. | Website |
| National Institute for Healthcare Reform | http://www.nihcr.org/index.html | The National Institute for Healthcare Reform's mission is to conduct high-quality, objective research and policy analyses of the organization, financing and delivery of health care in the United States. Access publications and news releases from their Website. | Website |
| National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology (NICHSR) | http://www.nlm.nih.gov/nichsr/corelib/hsrmethods.html | The National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology at the U.S. National Library of Medicine provides access to current medical guidelines; data tools and statistics; links to grant opportunities and other funding; ways to track federal and state legislation; meeting announcements; reports; tutorials; and training opportunities. | Website |
| OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) Health Data | http://www.oecd.org/document | The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Health Data section provides access to statistics and indicators on health and health systems across OECD countries. | Website |
| Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) | http://aspe.hhs.gov | The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation is the principal advisor to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on policy development, and is responsible for major activities in policy coordination, legislation development, strategic planning, policy research, evaluation, and economic analysis. The Website provides access to reports and analysis on a wide range of domestic health topics. | Website |
| RAND Health | http://www.rand.org/health | RAND Health is a research division within the RAND Corporation that works to improve policy and decision making through research and analysis with the goal of advancing understanding of health and health behaviors, and examining how the organization and financing of care affect costs, quality, and access. The Website provides access to briefs and publications (i.e., synthesis projects) on health and health policy topics. | Website |
| RTI International | http://www.rti.org/ | RTI International is dedicated to improving the human condition by turning knowledge into practice through cutting-edge study and analysis in health and pharmaceuticals, education and training, surveys and statistics, advanced technology, international development, economic and social policy, energy and the environment, and laboratory and chemistry services. | Website |
| Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | http://www.rwjf.org | The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the nation's largest philanthropy devoted solely to the public's health. The Website includes access to research, publications, and data from various RWJF-funded projects. | Website |
| Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Daily News Digest | http://www.rwjf.org/healthpolicy/digestlist.jsp | The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Daily News Digest is a frequently updated news digest on the subject of health policy, highlighting key articles from major journals and news publications. | Alert/Tracking Service |
| Science.gov | http://www.science.gov | Science.gov searches over 45 databases and over 2,000 selected Websites from 14 federal agencies, offering 200 million pages of authoritative U.S. government science information including research and development results. (Free.) | Website |
| Urban Institute Health Policy Center | http://www.urban.org/health_policy | The Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center analyzes trends and underlying causes of changes in health insurance coverage, access to care, and use of health care services. Access publications related to the Center's research on Medicare, Medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), private insurance markets, mechanisms for expanding coverage to the currently uninsured, and state and federal health care reform from its Website. | Website |
| U.S. Census Bureau | http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/hlthins/hlthins.html | The U.S. Census Bureau collects health insurance data using three national surveys: the Current Population Survey's Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC), the American Community Survey (ACS) and the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). | Website |
| Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Services Research & Development Service (HSR&D) | http://www.hsrd.research.va.gov | The Veterans Affairs Health Services Research & Development Service examines the organization, delivery, and financing of health care, from the perspectives of patients, caregivers, providers, and managers to improve the quality and economy of care. The underlying objective is to understand and improve clinical decision-making and care, inform patients, evaluate changes in the health care system, and inform VA policymaking. Access studies, projects, portfolios, and news releases from the Website. | Website |
Section Three - Expert Panels
Table A: Librarian Expert Panel
| Nancy Allee Deputy Director University of Michigan, Health Sciences Library |
Anne Linton Director Himmelfarb Library George Washington University Medical Center |
| Debra Berlanstein Head of Reference & Research Services Health Sciences & Human Services Library University of Maryland |
Renee’ McCullough Head Librarian Information Resources Center AHRQ |
| Judith Eannarino* Section Acquisitions National Library of Medicine |
Caryn McManus Deputy Librarian Information Resources Center AHRQ |
| Alexandra Gomes Associate Director for Education, Information, and Technology Services Himmelfarb Library George Washington University Medical Center |
Nancy Minter Library Director Urban Institute |
| Gail Kouril Library Manager RAND |
Robert M Shapiro, II CLinic Reference Librarianal University of Kentucky, Medical Center Library |
| Jana Liebermann Librarian Policy Information Center Library ASPE |
Annette Totten Research Faculty Oregon Health & Science University |
*Non-voting panelist
Table B: Health Policy Expert Panel
| Sharon Arnold The Cneter for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight (OCIIO) |
Kathy King U.S Government Accountability Office (U.S.GAO) |
| Linda Blumberg Urban Institute |
Marilyn Moon American Institutes for Research (AIR) |
| Don Cox Office of the Assistant Secretry for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) |
Vince Mor Brown University |
| Stan Dorn Urban Institute |
Kavita Patel New American Foundation |
| Marsha Gold Mathematica |
Don Detmer American Medical Informatics Association |
| Jim Hahn Congressional Research Services (CRS) |
