• Phone: 617-353-9222
  • E-Mail:  abcohen@bu.edu
  • Office: 53 Bay State Road
    • Office Hours: By Appointment
  • Address: Boston University Health Policy Institute
    53 Bay State Rd
    Boston, MA 02215

Profile Summary

Alan B. Cohen, Sc.D. is Executive Director of the Boston University Health Policy Institute, Professor of Health Policy and Management in the School of Management, and national program director for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholars in Health Policy Research Program and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research Program. At BU since 1994, he directed the School of Management’s Health Care MBA Program for nine years (1994-2003). His current research interests include: evaluation of quality improvement initiatives; comparative health care systems, and evaluation of healthcare informatics tools and information systems. Earlier in his career, Dr. Cohen held faculty positions at Johns Hopkins University and Brandeis University, and spent eight years at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, serving as Vice President for Research and Evaluation for five years. He is principal author of Technology in American Health Care: Policy Directions for Effective Evaluation and Management (2004). Dr. Cohen is a member of the National Academy of Social Insurance and an editorial board member of Inquiry. He received his B.A. in psychology from the University of Rochester, and his M.S. and Sc.D. in health policy and management from the Harvard School of Public Health.

  • Education Open or Close

    ScD, Harvard University, Health Services Administration, 1983.

    MS, Harvard University, Health Policy and Management, 1975.

    BA, University of Rochester, Psychology, 1973.

  • PublicationsOpen or Close

    Journal Articles:

      Baurer, D., Yonek, J., Cohen, A., Restuccia, J., Hasnain-Wynia, R., (2012). System-level Factors Affecting Clinicians' Perceptions and Use of Interpreter Services in California Public Hospitals. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health,

      Restuccia, J., Cohen, A., Horwitt, J., Shwartz, M., (2012). Hospital Implementation of Health Information Technology and Quality of Care: Are They Related?. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 12(1), 109-116.

      Griffiths, F., Cave, J., Boardman, F., Ren, J., Pawlikowska, T., Ball, R., Clarke, A., Cohen, A., (2012). Social Networks - The Future for Health Care Delivery. Social Science and Medicine,

      McHugh, M., Kang, R., Cohen, A., Restuccia, J., Hasnain-Wynia, R., (2012). Reporting Information on Emergency Department Crowding to the Hospital Board and Delivery of Time-Sensitive Care. Joint Commission Journal On Quality and Patient Safety, 38(5), 229-234.

      Gauld, R., Burgers, J., Dobrow, M., Luxford, K., Minhas, R., Wendt, C., Cohen, A., (2012). Quality Improvement, Information Technology and Primary Care Can Improve Healthcare System Performance. But Are Policymakers Promoting Them?. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 66(9), 827-833.

      Gauld, R., Blank, R., Burgers, J., Cohen, A., Dobrow, M., Ikegami, N., Kwan, S., Luxford, K., Millett, C., Wendt, C., (2012). The World Health Report 2008 - Primary Health Care: How Wide Is the Gap Between Its Agenda and Implementation in 12 High-Income Health Systems. Healthcare Policy, 7(3), 38-58.

      Cohen, A., (2012). The Debate Over Health Care Rationing: Deja Vu All Over Again?. Inquiry, 49(2), 90-100.

      Gauld, R., Horwitt, J., Williams, S., Cohen, A., (2011). What Strategies Do U.S. Hospitals Employ to Reduce Unwarranted Clinical Practice Variations?. American Journal of Medical Quality, 26(2), 120-126.

      Shwartz, M., Cohen, A., Restuccia, J., Ren, Z., Labonte, A., Theokary, C., Kang, R., Horwitt, J., (2011). How Well Can We Identify the High-Performing Hospital?. Medical Care Research and Review , 68(3), 290-310. Sage.

      Shwartz, M., Cramer, I., Holmes, S., Cohen, A., Restuccia, J., Lukas, C. V., Sullivan, J., Charns, M. P., (2010). Survey-Assessed Quality and Organizational Factors Related to Quality in Pursuing Perfection Hospitals. Quality Management in Health Care, 19(4), 349-363.

      Clarke, A., Cohen, A., (2010). Bringing It All Back Home: Can Europeans Learn from Recent Moves Toward the Medical Home in US Primary Health Care Reform?. European Journal of Public Health, 20(6), 613-615.

      Cohen, A., Restuccia, J., Shwartz, M., Drake, J., Kang, R., Kralovec, P., Holmes, S., Margolin, F., Bohr, D., (2008). A Survey of Hospital Quality Improvement Activities. Medical Care Research and Review, 65(5), 571-595.

      Shwartz, M., Ren, Z., Pekoz, E., Wang, X., Cohen, A., Restuccia, J., (2008). Estimating A Composite Measure of Hospital Quality From the Hospital Compare Database: Differences When Using a Bayesian Hierarchical Latent Variable Model Versus Denominator-Based Weights. Medical Care, 46(8), 778-785.

      Lukas, C., Holmes, S. C., Cohen, A. K., Restuccia, J., Cramer, I., Shwartz, M. E., Charns, M. P., (2007). Transformational Change in Health Care Systems: An Organizational Model. Health Care Management Review, 32(4), 309-320.

    Other Publications:

      Mohr, D., Cohen, A., Chan, J., Marsella, S., Charns, M., (2012). Evaluation of the HSR&D Evidence-Based Synthesis Program.: VA Boston Healthcare System.

      Cohen, A., (2012). Sunday Dialogue: Equitable Health Care.: The New York Times.

      Cohen, A., (2012). Invitation to a Dialogue: Health Care Rationing.: The New York Times.

      Cohen, A., (2012). Book Review of "Remedy and Reaction" by Paul Starr. (2, 49, 176-177).: Inquiry.

  • Contracts, Grants and Sponsored ResearchOpen or Close

    RWJF Scholars in Health Policy Research Program and RWJF Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research Program, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (September 1, 2012 - August 31, 2013).

    Evaluation of Boston Medical Center's Provider-Level Dashboard, Yankee Alliance / Boston Medical Center. (2011 - December 2012).

    Evaluation of Boston Medical Center’s Performance Dashboard, Boston Medical Center. (2010 - December 2012).

    RWJF Scholars in Health Policy Research Program, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (September 2011 - August 2012).

    Complexity Science and Health Care, BU-Warwick Strategic Funding Initiative. (2010 - 2012).

    Evaluation of the Solutions for Patient Safety Collaborative, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. (2010 - 2011).

    RWJF Scholars in Health Policy Research Program, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2010 - 2011).

    Examining the Quality and Efficiency of Care in U.S. Safety Net Hospitals, Commonwealth Fund. (2009 - 2010).

    Examining Quality, Efficiency and Patient Experience in U.S. Hospitals, Phase 2, Commonwealth Fund. (2007 - 2009).

    Facilitators and Barriers to System-Level Change: Providing Language Services in California Public Hospitals, The California Endowment (TCE). (2006 - 2008).

    Health Information Technology and Quality of Care, Commonwealth Fund. (2007 - 2007).

    Survey to Assess the Current State and Impact of Quality Improvement Activities in U.S. Hospitals, Commonwealth Fund. (2005 - 2007).

    Evaluation of the RWJF Pursuing Perfection Program, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2002 - 2006).

  • General ServiceOpen or Close

    Service to the School:

      Boston University, Other SMG Service Area, Committee Member, Provost's Office, approximately 10 hours spent for the year. (January 1, 2010 - Present).
      Attend Steering Committee meetings; advise VP for Research of the University


  • Editorial And Review ActivitiesOpen or Close

    Cohen, A., Journal of Health Organization and Management, Editorial Board Member, International, Appointed, Academic. (January 1, 2012 - Present).

    Review manuscripts; advise editor


    Cohen, A., Health Services Research, Invited Manuscript Reviewer, International, Academic. (October 1, 2012 - October 1, 2012).
    Reviewed manuscript


    Cohen, A., Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Invited Manuscript Reviewer, International, Academic. (July 25, 2012 - July 25, 2012).
    Reviewed manuscript


  • Academic, Military and Professional PositionsOpen or Close

    National Program Director, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research Program. (September 1, 2012 - Present).

    Direct national program office that awards research grants to health policy researchers


  • Awards and HonorsOpen or Close

    Luminary, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Service, Professional. (October 24, 2012).

    Named one of 40 Luminaries in the history of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.


  • Web LinksOpen or Close

  • DirectorshipOpen or Close

    National Program Director, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholars in Health Policy Research Program (1992-present)

    National Program Director, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research Program (2012-present)