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| Leonard Davis Institute | |
|---|---|
| Name | Leonard Davis Institute |
| Formation | 1967 |
| Founder | Leonard and Sophie Davis |
| Type | Research institute |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Location | University of Pennsylvania |
| Fields | Health services research, health policy, aging, long-term care |
| Leader title | Director |
| Parent organization | Perelman School of Medicine |
Leonard Davis Institute is a multidisciplinary research institute at the University of Pennsylvania devoted to health services research, health policy analysis, and improving care for aging populations. Founded through philanthropy by Leonard and Sophie Davis, the institute collaborates with academic centers, clinical programs, and government agencies to translate evidence into policy and practice. Its work spans research, training, and public engagement, engaging scholars across Perelman School of Medicine, Wharton School, School of Nursing, and other Penn units.
The institute was established in 1967 following a gift from Leonard and Sophie Davis and emerged amid debates over Medicare and Medicaid expansion during the 1960s. Early collaborations linked researchers at the institute with scholars from the School of Medicine and economists at the Wharton School to study changes after the passage of Social Security Act amendments. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s it expanded ties to federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, while partnering with local providers including Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and regional health systems. In subsequent decades the institute broadened work on long-term care, comparative effectiveness research, and population health, aligning with initiatives like the Affordable Care Act and innovations in value-based payment led by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
The institute’s mission emphasizes generating evidence to improve health care delivery, affordability, and outcomes for older adults, caregivers, and communities. Research programs address topics such as long-term services and supports, health care financing, care coordination, and disparities among populations in urban and rural settings. Scholars apply methods from health economics, outcomes research, implementation science, and epidemiology, collaborating with investigators from Perelman School of Medicine, School of Nursing, Wharton School, School of Social Policy & Practice, and external partners including the RAND Corporation, Kaiser Permanente, and the Commonwealth Fund. Work often informs policy discussions before bodies like the U.S. Congress and state health departments, and contributes to evidence syntheses used by the World Health Organization and professional societies.
The institute hosts multiple thematic centers and initiatives that convene interdisciplinary teams. Centers focus on areas such as long-term care policy, health economics, and implementation of innovations in clinical practice, often collaborating with entities like the Penn Medicine Nudge Unit and the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics. Associated programs include training consortia in health services research, policy analytics partnerships with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and practice-based research networks that engage providers such as Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and community health centers. The institute also maintains data resources and collaborates with claims databases from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and cohort studies affiliated with National Institute on Aging investigators.
Educational activities support predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers, clinical fellows, and policy professionals. Trainees come from the Perelman School of Medicine, Wharton School, School of Nursing, and public policy programs, receiving mentored research support, grantwriting workshops, and coursework in biostatistics and health economics. Joint degree pathways and certificate programs link to career development awards from agencies such as the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute on Aging, while fellows often pursue placements in state capitols, federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations like the Commonwealth Fund and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The institute engages with policymakers, payers, providers, and advocacy organizations to translate research into reforms. Findings have informed deliberations on payment reform at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, long-term services financing proposals considered by state legislatures, and quality metrics adopted by professional organizations and hospital systems. Partnerships include collaborations with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, national nonprofits such as AARP, and private-sector partners including Blue Cross Blue Shield plans and integrated delivery systems. Public-facing briefs and testimony have been presented to committees of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives.
Funding derives from a mix of philanthropic gifts, federal research grants from agencies including the National Institutes of Health and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, foundation awards from organizations like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Commonwealth Fund, and contracts with state agencies and health systems. Governance includes academic leadership within the Perelman School of Medicine, an external advisory board of experts from universities, health systems, and policymaking institutions, and compliance oversight in coordination with Penn’s research administration and clinical partners.
Category:Research institutes in Pennsylvania