The Â鶹´«Ã½ Medical Service Association (HMSA) donated $1 million to establish the HMSA Distinguished Endowed Professorship in Health Economics at the (UHERO) in UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹¡¯s . The endowment will support UHERO¡¯s research in the area of health economics.
“This is a key part of a larger health policy initiative at the College of Social Sciences focused on improving the health care of Â鶹´«Ã½¡¯s people and economy,” said Dean Denise Eby Konan, professor of economics and UHERO research fellow. “This endowment will enable the university to attract and retain the highest-caliber health economics faculty and advance research in the area of health economics. We¡¯re grateful to HMSA for recognizing the critical importance of health care to Â鶹´«Ã½¡¯s economy.”
UHERO Executive Director Carl Bonham has worked closely with HMSA President and CEO Mark M. Mugiishi on Â鶹´«Ã½¡¯s response to the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years.
“UHERO has been a key player in our economic development recovery efforts as we emerge from the damaging effects of COVID-19 across the state,” said Mugiishi. “HMSA remains committed to creating a healthier Â鶹´«Ã½, especially in our efforts to improve the overall economic health in our local community.”
Bonham said HMSA and UHERO share a common vision, where data, research and analysis drive policy to improve the lives of Â鶹´«Ã½¡¯s people.
“We already have several projects underway that will benefit from a close collaboration with HMSA, including the development of a new linked housing and health database, and a new longitudinal health survey in Â鶹´«Ã½,” Bonham said. “Both efforts are designed to study systemic health disparities exacerbated by COVID-19 and inform the design and execution of public health programs in Â鶹´«Ã½.”
HMSA and its philanthropic arm, the HMSA Foundation, have a long history of giving to major health care initiatives at UH. In 2021, the HMSA Foundation gave $6 million in support of various initiatives at the and .
“HMSA¡¯s support over the years has been crucial to the work being done at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½,” said Tim Dolan, CEO of and UH vice president of advancement. “This gift builds upon HMSA¡¯s support and strengthens UHERO¡¯s research in such an important sector. Mahalo to HMSA and Dr. Mugiishi for recognizing UHERO¡¯s role in advancing Â鶹´«Ã½¡¯s economic health.”
This work is an example of UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹¡¯s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.