2026 UCSF Health Services Research Symposium | UCSF Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies

We invite you to be part of the fourth annual UCSF Health Services Research Symposium on May 13, 2026 at our Mission Bay campus!

Resource Fair featuring data resources, research collaboratives, training programs and opportunities and more will be available during the entire symposium.

8:30am - 9:00am - Coffee and Tea

9:00am - Opening Remarks, Joanne Spetz, PhD, IHPS Director

9:10am - 10:00am - Keynote Talk Jim Wood, DDS, former CA Assembly Health Committee Chair in conversation moderated by Kathryn Phillips, PhD, UCSF

10:00am - 10:15am - Claire D. Brindis Award presentation

10:15am - 10:30am - Harold S. Luft Award presentation

10:30am - 11:00am - Networking Break

11:00am - 12:00pm - Breakout Session #1

Breakout Room #1: Real-world impact: Leveraging Medicare and Medicaid Data in HSR: Join leading researchers as they share their projects and experiences utilizing Medicare & Medicaid data to drive impactful health science research and improve patient outcomes.

Robertson Auditorium: Into the Future: Using AI in Health Services Research: Generative Artificial Intelligence (genAI)/Large Language Model (LLM) Tools and Health Services Research

Breakout Room #2: Opportunities in California's Central Valley: Clinicians and scientists from UCSF Fresno, UC Merced and UCSF will discuss population health and health services in the Central Valley and other rural parts of California.

Breakout Room #3: Bioethics and HSR Across Disciplines and Settings: This session brings together diverse perspectives in bioethics research and practice, featuring insights on oncology-focused global health bioethics, ethical leadership in institutional initiatives, and data equity in dental research.

Breakout Room #4: Health Policy at the State Level: Innovation in a Federal Vacuum: Three panelists with state policy-focused projects share their insights on findings and forging their way through data-driven policy change during frequent gridlock and uneven funding in recent years at the federal level.

Coblenz Room: Bridging Health Services Research and Advocacy: Featuring UCSF faculty who are highly engaged in interpreting health services research for advocates and collaborating with advocates to advance evidence-based health policy at federal, state, and local levels. They will share their experiences and tips for engaging effectively with advocates and policymakers.

12:00pm - 1:00pm - Lunch (provided, please register if you will attend lunch on the registration form)

1:00pm - 2:00pm - Breakout Session #2

Breakout Room #1: HSR Funding Strategies in the Current Environment: This panel brings together leaders and researchers from across the UCSF community with firsthand experience navigating shifting federal policy landscapes to examine the immediate challenges posed by the current political environment, offering constructive, actionable strategies for fellow researchers seeking to mitigate potential or pending negative impacts on their work, including guidance on identifying and securing funding opportunities beyond the NIH in an increasingly uncertain fiscal climate.

Breakout Room #2: The Value of Social Science & Clinician Collaboration in HSR: This panel highlights the value of social science researchers conducting research in clinical settings and collaborating with clinicians to generate context-sensitive, patient-centered insights that strengthen health services research.

Coblenz Room: Applying Social Science Theories in HSR: Case Studies and Approaches: In this session, we will explore how researchers from different disciplines draw on a range of theories and conceptual models in their applied health services research.

Breakout Room #3: Common Challenges with Grantwriting: Mastering the Research Strategy: This panel explores common challenges in writing strong research strategies for NIH and other extramural grants. Participants will gain practical tips for crafting clear, compelling proposals that stand out to reviewers.

Breakout Room #4: Recent and Upcoming Changes in Medicare: How HSR Can Inform Policy: This panel will focus on Medicare and how health services research can shape future programs and policies to advance high-quality care for Medicare beneficiaries.

Robertson Auditorium: New Data Assets at UCSF: Come join this interactive panel discussion on population and individual-level data sources available at UCSF that can be leveraged by health services and interdisciplinary researchers.

2:00pm - 2:30pm - Networking Break

2:30pm - 3:30pm - Podium Lightning Talks

3:30pm - 4:30pm - Closing Plenary Session

4:30pm - 6:00pm - Poster Session and Reception

Cost

Free

Location UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center - 1675 Owens Street