Professor Erin Sullivan Shares Prestigious Award

Congratulations to Professor Sullivan and her co-authors on being selected for the inaugural Primary Care Collaborative David Meyers Research Award for their article “Primary Care in Peril: How Clinicians View the Problems and Solutions.” It was published in the NEJM Catalyst on May 17, 2023.

One of the co-authors is Jordyn Deubel, a Suffolk MHA student and graduate fellow working with Professor Sullivan. Jordyn conducted background research and analyzed qualitative data for the article. She commented, “I am grateful for opportunity to examine the pressures faced by primary care physicians, that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the clinician responses allowed us to shed light on actionable responses to improve primary care, including increasing access for patients and clinician retention.”

Here’s a description of the award: “The David Meyers Research Award was established in 2023 to honor and advance the legacy of Dr. David Meyers, a primary care physician and leader in health policy research. Dr. Meyers’ work and influence extends across many sectors within health care and is most notable for its interdisciplinary nature, humanism, policy relevance, and leadership in the field of primary care. This award is presented annually to the individual whose research work in the previous year best exemplifies these commitments and Dr. Meyers’s impact.”

Professor Sullivan accepted the David Meyers Research Award at an awards dinner in Washington, D.C. on November 16. In her acceptance speech, she acknowledged how humbling it was to receive the inaugural award because Dr. Meyers gave so much to the field of primary care. Professor Sullivan and her colleagues dedicated the award to the 8,000 primary care clinicians who shared their stories for the paper; the primary care clinicians who endured the pandemic and continue to practice primary care in a very challenging environment; and the clinicians who left practice because it was no longer sustainable. Professor Sullivan and her colleagues hope that their work will create a groundswell of support for a new vision of primary care that is supportive, empowering, patient-centered, and sustainable.

For more information about Professor Sullivan and her work, check out her blog. And read the press release about the award.