Evidence-Based Health Policy Project
Research. Analysis. Education. Dialogue

The UW School of Medicine & Public Health's Population Health Institute and the La Follette School of Public Affairs, in partnership with the Wisconsin Legislative Council, have joined together under the UWSMPH's stated intent to accelerate the public health transformational processes and expedite programmatic development across sectors.

Purpose and Goals

The EBHPP connects lawmakers' researchers, and others in the public and private sector to advance Wisconsin's health through two goals:

1. Provide policymakers, in both the public and private sectors, with timely, non-partisan, high-quality information for evidence-based decision-making.
2. Increase the involvement of UW faculty research and teaching activities in topical issues of state public policy.

Project Summary Hand-Out
Organization Chart

Methods and Venues

The project includes four methods by which to provide public and private sector policy makers with timely, non-partisan, high quality information for evidence-based decision-making:

1. Issue-specific invitation-based forums for off-the record safe harbor dialogue;
2. Speaker/Panel Symposiums;
3. Just-in-Time topic briefings of legislative committees; and
4. Methods exchange meetings between policy makers and researchers.

Core Principles

The EBHPP is based on the premise that, in order to make research more applicable to real world circumstances, researchers need to interact with persons who are involved with the provision and funding of heath programs and services. This will promote work that is more relevant, timely, and presented in formats that are useful for policy and practice.

• Honest broker: Scientifically and intellectually rigorous research, analysis and education.
• Balanced, nonpartisan, accessible information: Analysis of the full range of policy options.
• Safe harbor: Neutral venues that promote candor and honest exchange, with off-the-record dialogue.

Partnership and Participants

• Bridges medicine and health policy, research and practice, health science with other elements of the UW campus, and positions UW to link in a meaningful way in service to government and the Wisconsin Legislature.
• Draws on the leadership and talent of academic, government, and industry experts, who review and consider the available evidence and then discuss the merits of various policy alternatives within a non-partisan safe harbor.
• Stimulates dialogue and familiarity among persons from differing arenas who might not have otherwise have crossed paths; They then have opportunity to consider promising arenas for collaborative research and/or advancement of public policy.

Public sector participants in the program include members of the Wisconsin State Legislature, high-ranking officials of state agencies, members of the Governor's staff, and academics. From the private sector, this project engages industry executives, physicians, hospitals, insurers, and advocates.

Background and Funding

The Evidence-Based Health Policy Project began in 2002 as Wisconsin Health Policy Forums with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation State Health Policy Forums initiative. This grew into the current multi-dimensional Evidence-Based Health Policy Project. Today, this unique collaboration is made possible through grants from the Wisconsin Partnership Program, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, the UW-Madison Chancellor's Office, and in-kind contributions from project partners.

Contact Information

Project Director:
Liz Feder efeder@wisc.edu
UW Population Health Institute
Suite 760, 610 Walnut Street
Madison, WI 53726

Phone: (608) 261-1907
Fax: (608) 262-6404