About the Medical College of Wisconsin Center for Advancing Population Science (CAPS)

The purposes of the Center are to conduct research on patient care services and related health outcomes, to facilitate a supportive environment for MCW investigators new to this area, to determine the need for and recruit new faculty in targeted methodologic areas, and to sponsor a health services research seminar series as a forum for the exchange of ideas.

Mission

Develop, test and implement innovative strategies for transforming healthcare that optimizes quality, value and cost.

Vision

To become a global leader in healthcare transformation through innovative research.

Accelerate Discovery

Build a cohesive and dynamic research infrastructure that rapidly adapts to the changing environment.

Health Starts from Within

Recruit and mentor a cadre of multi-disciplinary investigators.

Health of Our Community

Build healthier communities and eliminate inequalities in health at the local, national and international level.

Preferred Choice

Disseminate and implement evidence-based strategies to transform healthcare.

Think Next Gen

Create pathways for health services researchers and innovators.

Who We Are

Center History
Center Restructure
Center Relaunch

Center History

The Center for Advancing Population Science was founded in 2001 as the Center for Patient Care and Outcomes Research (PCOR) with a focus on studying ways to provide effective and efficient patient care services and related health outcomes. The center mission during this time was to conduct cutting-edge research on the provision of effective and efficient patient care services and on related health outcomes. The center was originally comprised of a group of investigators, supported by dedicated staff, with a wide range of clinical backgrounds and areas of research expertise led by Dr. Ann Nattinger (ending in 2016). They fostered the creation of innovative ideas regarding how to evaluate and improve the quality of patient care across diverse populations and geographic regions. In the summer of 2013, the center occupied space on the third floor of the Health Research Center on main campus.
In January 2017, Dr. Leonard Egede was appointed Center Director. Dr. Egede was also appointed as Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine in the Department of Medicine. At this time, the strategic planning group reflected on MCW’s future and the value that we are bringing to our communities, our Research and Community Missions intersection through the broad research areas on social factors, financing systems, organizational structures and processes, health technology, and health behaviors.

Center Restructure

In mid-2017, all faculty and staff members affiliated with the center were provided an opportunity to fully participate in the strategic planning and goal setting process of the center. Center members were given the opportunity to provide thoughtful feedback, recommendations, and suggestions via a confidential, anonymous survey and attended a day long Strategic Planning Retreat. The survey allowed center members to provide individual perceptions of the center’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). In addition, participants were asked to reflect and make recommendations on revising the center mission and vision to align with the new direction of the center more appropriately. As a result of the retreat, the center established a new vision and mission, implemented strategic goals, objectives, and research units.

Center Relaunch

In fall-2017 Dr. Egede relaunched and renamed the center to the Center for Advancing Population Science (CAPS). This rebranding allowed MCW to work with local, regional, national, and international partners to increase the relevance of innovative research into their lives and increase dialogue with our community. The new name, CAPS, better reflected its expanded health services research focus, emphasis on population science and global health, enhanced recruitment of new faculty and collaborators, and improved engagement with community partners.

Health Services Research

Health Services Research is a multidisciplinary field that incorporates research on social factors, financing systems, organizational structures and processes, health technology, and health behaviors. It offers a unique position to understand how access to care, systems and costs of care, and the social determinants of health intersect to create disparities and influence health. For that reason, CAPS is a multidisciplinary team of researchers covering a variety of disease areas, spanning influence from individuals to health systems to policy.

Population Science

Population Science looks across the entire spectrum of factors that can impact health outcomes. These health factors include the realms of healthcare, individual health behaviors, environmental factors, social and economic factors, policies, and genetic determinants of health. Researchers in the field of Population Science come from various disciplines, such as Public Health, Medicine, Pharmacy, Economics, Demography, and Urban Planning. These researchers work together to solve major health concerns facing population groups.

CAPS provides the expertise and new knowledge to help providers and health systems incorporate social determinants of health into care, implement strategies to eliminate disparities by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or geographic location common in healthcare, and design systems that minimize costs and maximize quality. The Center aims to influence local neighborhoods, the health systems in Wisconsin and throughout the US, and the global community through innovative and collaborative research designed to improve population health.

Center Infrastructure

Center Pillars of Operations
Center Programs

Center Pillars of Operations

Center Pillars of Operation strengthen the overall infrastructure of the center by ensuring the continuity of all center activities are efficient, effective, and strategic.

Center Programs

Center Programs are topic areas where several funded investigators carry out projects, develop new grant submissions based on their work, and train junior faculty in conducting high quality health services research in the area.