José A. Pagán, professor and chair of the Department of Public Health Policy and Management at the NYU School of Global Public Health, has been elected as a member of the National Academy of Medicine. He is recognized for his leadership in aligning health care delivery, payment, and social systems to address health equity, and specifically for understanding ripple effects of uninsurance in U.S. communities.
Election to the National Academy of Medicine is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. This year, 90 regular members and 10 international members were elected.
New members are elected by current members through a process that recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health.
“This extraordinary class of new members is comprised of exceptional scholars and leaders who have been at the forefront of responding to serious public health challenges, combatting social inequities, and achieving innovative discoveries,” said National Academy of Medicine President Victor J. Dzau. “Their expertise will be vital to informing the future of health and medicine for the benefit of us all. I am truly honored to welcome these esteemed individuals to the National Academy of Medicine.”
Pagán is a health economist who has led research, implementation, and evaluation projects on the redesign of health care delivery and payment systems. He is interested in population health management, health care payment and delivery system reform, and the social determinants of health. He was a member of a committee that wrote a 2019 National Academy of Medicine report focused on the problem of physician burnout—a prescient warning even before the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to his role at the NYU School of Global Public Health, Pagán also serves as the chair of the Board of Directors of NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest municipal public health care system in the United States.
The National Academy of Medicine noted that they elected Pagán for his contributions that have “strengthened capacity to measure and improve health equity, including under pandemic conditions, helping guide future practices nationally.”
“The reports and recommendations from the National Academy of Medicine influence policies that impact the health and wellbeing of all of us. I look forward to contributing to achieve the vision of a healthier future for everyone through collaboration and service,” Pagán said.
Founded in 1970 as the Institute of Medicine, the National Academy of Medicine addresses critical issues in health, science, medicine, and related policy and inspires positive actions across sectors. The National Academy of Medicine is one of three academies that make up the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in the United States, which together provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions.
About the NYU School of Global Public Health
At the NYU School of Global Public Health (NYU GPH), we are preparing the next generation of public health pioneers with the critical thinking skills, acumen, and entrepreneurial approaches necessary to reinvent the public health paradigm. Devoted to employing a nontraditional, interdisciplinary model, NYU GPH aims to improve health worldwide through a unique blend of global public health studies, research, and practice. The School is located in the heart of New York City and extends to NYU's global network on six continents. Innovation is at the core of our ambitious approach, thinking and teaching. For more, visit: http://publichealth.nyu.edu/
