Indiana University’s Aaron Carroll, M.D., M.S. to Lead AcademyHealth

Health service and policy research organization AcademyHealth has named Indiana University Chief Health Officer Aaron Carroll, M.D., M.S., as its next president and CEO.

Carroll assumes the role of president and CEO from Lisa Simpson, M.B., B.Ch., M.P.H., who will step down in March. AcademyHealth said that under Simpson's leadership, the organization made a public commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, expanded its influence in Washington, and built portfolios of work to support innovation in data, workforce, research impact, and learning health systems. The organization hosts an annual research meeting and the Health Datapalooza event.

Carroll is a Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics and Chief Health Officer at Indiana University. He is also Associate Dean for Research Mentoring and the past director of the Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Comparative Effectiveness Research at Indiana University School of Medicine. He earned an M.S. in health services from the University of Washington School of Public Health, where he was also a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar. In addition, he previously served as vice president for faculty development at the Regenstrief Institute, a medical research and development organization with expertise in electronic medical records and healthcare data integration. 

Carroll's research focuses on the study of information technology to improve pediatric care, decision analysis, and areas of health policy including cost-effectiveness of care and health care financing reform.

"Dr. Carroll is a fantastic choice to lead AcademyHealth into the next era of advocating for the use of evidence to improve the delivery of healthcare and to improve health for all," said chair of the AcademyHealth Board of Directors Lucy Savitz, Ph.D., M.B.A, in a statement. She is a professor in the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Health Policy and Management in the Graduate School of Public Health and Senior Innovation Advisor for the UPMC Insurance Division in their Center for High Value Health Care. "The board was especially impressed with Dr. Carroll's highly visible and impactful track record in translating complex research findings in a way to spark action as well as his passion for the development and mentoring of diverse research talent."

Carroll is the author of multiple books, a frequent contributor to the New York Times, co-editor-in-chief of The Incidental Economist, and his publications as well as his Healthcare Triage YouTube series and podcast have educated and entertained millions of readers and viewers. 
"Today's challenges demand robust, inclusive evidence that tackles real-world issues. It's imperative that we communicate this knowledge in a manner that is comprehensible, trustworthy, and applicable," said Carroll in a statement. "AcademyHealth supports, amplifies, and represents the interests of a diverse and talented field that is perfectly positioned to answer that call. Stepping into this leadership role is a dream opportunity to work with some of the best minds in health research and policy and to make a real difference in American healthcare.”