Health Policy, Law, Leadership and Ethics

The healthcare industry, as we know and understand it today, is expected to change across numerous dimensions in the near and long term. Even the very definition of what is included in the “industry” is open to debate, as companies not traditionally in the healthcare arena see opportunities to enter into and disrupt the space. The accelerated pace of change can be observed, to date, through vertical integration, mergers, acquisitions, strategic alliances, and outsourcing, to name a few. These changes are driven by cost pressures and inefficiencies in the pursuit of excellent healthcare. Enabled by research in the technology areas of health, Baylor has a distinct role in the dialogue about the future of this industry. These inter- organizational linkages will outpace what we have observed and will involve entities along with value chain within the U.S. and across the globe.

With the healthcare industry being described as chaotic, we look for opportunities to participate, in significant ways, in the national and international dialogue in the areas of policy, leadership, law, and ethics. From a policy perspective, our existing assets begin to equip us to participate in regulatory discussions, not only as they relate to technology deployment but also the future of competition. Healthcare executives are addressing just how to pursue their organization’s strategy in the midst of chaos, and, at the same time, are aware of the need to mitigate risk. Both agility and a structure that enables the freedom to take risks challenge these executives daily.

Baylor is uniquely positioned to inform state-of-the-art thinking on leadership issues and to equip our students for future challenges. Healthcare reform correspondingly brings changes to laws and regulations at the national, state, and local levels. These laws impact the delivery of healthcare and how different inputs into the healthcare system might change. Our expertise in healthcare law enables us to influence and engage professors and students in the dialogue. Healthcare ethics, also known as bioethics, focuses on the moral principles, beliefs, and values associated with different healthcare choices. Our Christian commitment means we need to engage in dialogue and help shape thinking about healthcare ethics.

We seek to engage an interdisciplinary group of scholars in a wide variety of intellectual activities, including teaching, external programming, and health services research. We will create and support an interdisciplinary environment for discovery, learning, and engagement and are committed to providing quality academic training through which evidence-based research practices and innovation are promoted and emphasized. We will also expand a commitment to health services research on issues that directly impact the lives of millions of people worldwide.

Programs will be developed that attract and prepare undergraduate and graduate students for professions dedicated to the improvement of health, human behavior, and quality of life across a diversity of constituencies and communities. Additionally, we will pursue research that discovers new ideas, advances knowledge with novel questions and is responsive to ever-changing conditions of health, human sciences and quality of life.