What is PHSSR?
Public health systems and services research is an emerging field of inquiry dedicated
to analysis of the organization, financing, and delivery of public health services in various communities, and
examining the effect that these services have on population health status.
PHSSR researchers examine a wide variety
of topics, including but not limited to: finance, workforce, organization of services and management of public
health services.
These researchers have backgrounds in a large variety of disciplines. By applying the unique
perspectives inherent in their different disciplines to PHSSR, we hope that research can offer innovative solutions
to improve the health of the communities.
Director’s Welcome
Welcome to the website for the First Annual Keeneland Public Health
Systems and Services Research Conference. Funding from the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation has allowed us to begin an annual conference, here in
Lexington, which we hope will further build the public health
systems and services research community. The conference is particularly suited
for our new colleagues in PHSSR, with their senior mentors, to
showcase their work. It will allow new researchers who have only
recently begun their work to present it, and get feedback from
others to help them in their research activities. It will also focus
on providing a networking forum for PHSSR researchers, particularly
to exchange ideas about new data sources and methods. We hope that
these opportunities further enhance the research skills of our
junior researchers.
Who should attend?
The purpose of PHSSR is to improve the delivery of public health services
by practitioners in public health. So we have also allowed, in the
conference, time for interaction between research and practice in
public health. We encourage both practice and research colleagues
to attend. One of the most difficult essential public health
services for practitioners to cover is research for new insights and
innovations for addressing public health problems. The conference
provides an opportunity to work on this essential service. We hope
that the communication engendered will alert scholars to topics of
relevance to the practice community, and that the researcher will
have the opportunity for letting practice know new information that
can improve public health services.
Spring in the Bluegrass
Spring may be the most beautiful time to be in Kentucky. The
dogwood trees in full bloom can be breathtaking, and the expansive
green pastures of our bluegrass horse farms are a true taste of
Kentucky at it’s finest. In order to showcase the bounty of the
bluegrass, we have planned to adjourn the conference early on April
11th and travel to
Keeneland race track, another of the
gems of the Commonwealth. Here you will be able to witness some of
the finest equine athletes in the nation in action. I hope you can
join us.
F. Douglas Scutchfield, M.D.
