Changes in Health Policy and Management

Photo from left to right: Drs. Mark Diana and Lizheng Shi.

Dear faculty, staff, and students,

I would like to inform you that I have decided to conduct a national search for the next chair of Health Policy and Management. Dr. Mark Diana will be stepping down as chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management, effective June 30th. After four productive years as chair, Dr. Diana will focus on his teaching and research in health information systems, Medicaid policy and evaluation, and new care delivery models.

Mark has led the department during several shifts within the school. During his tenure, the department’s Master of Health Administration program experienced a significant rise in the U.S. News rankings from 22nd to 17th. Last year, Mark helped the department celebrate its 50th anniversary with several high-profile events. I applaud Mark for maintaining the legacy of the department and thank him for his continued service to the school.

Dr. Lizheng Shi has agreed to serve as interim chair of the department while a national search is conducted to find Mark’s successor. Lizheng is trained in pharmaceutical economics and policy, with a strong interest in health technology and health policy evaluation. His research portfolio includes more than 30 research grants and contracts from the National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Technology, and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, among others.

Dr. Shi is also the co-director of the Health Systems Analytics Research Center, is the associate editor for Value in Health, and serves on the editorial board for Pharmacoeconomics. He holds the Regents Professorship and co-leads a summer course in China examining health systems in the Asian nation. I feel confident that Lizheng will continue to move the department forward as Mark has while bringing his own unique experience to bear. Please join me in congratulating him and in offering your support over the coming year.

Thomas LaVeist, PhD
Dean and Weatherhead Presidential Chair in Health Equity
Tulane University
School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine