Utibe Essien, MD, MPH
Congratulations to HSR’s Utibe Essien, MD, MPH, and Donna Washington, MD, MPH, FACP, for the honors they recently received from the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). Dr. Essien was named one of 10 NAM Emerging Leaders in Health and Medicine for his demonstrated leadership and exceptional professional achievement in healthcare. Dr. Washington was elected as a new NAM member — one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine — for her major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, healthcare, and public health, and for her outstanding commitment to service. Drs. Essien and Washington are with HSR’s Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation and Policy (CSHIIP).
Dr. Essien is an HSR Career Development Awardee whose research focuses on examining racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequities in the use of novel medications and technologies in the management of chronic and cardiovascular disease. In 2021, Dr. Essien coined the term “pharmacoequity” to describe the goal of ensuring that everyone — regardless of their race, ethnicity, or social class — has access to life-saving medicines.
Donna Washington, MD, MPH, FACP
Dr. Washington is Director of the Health Equity QUERI Partnered Evaluation Center, which conducts research that enhances understanding of the health and healthcare needs of Veterans and helps ensure Veterans’ equitable access to the highest quality healthcare and outcomes. She was also the 2020 recipient of the Under Secretary’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Health Services Research, the highest honor for a VA health services researcher. Her work informs health policy and strategic-planning initiatives to eliminate health disparities by sex, race, and ethnicity.