BURRELL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH POLICY & RESEARCH UNVEILED

LAS CRUCES, N.M., Jan. 15, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dan Burrell, Chairman of the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine at New Mexico State University (BCOM), Dr. Garrey Carruthers, Chancellor, New Mexico State University System, John Hummer, President of BCOM and George Mychaskiw, DO, Founding Dean and Chief Academic Officer, BCOM unveiled the new Burrell Institute of Health Policy and Research to an audience of regional business and healthcare leaders today. The new Institute, a division of the newly formed SW Osteopathic Foundation for Education and Research, will be a major healthcare research entity that will provide important information to policy leaders regionally, nationally and internationally.

"There is a huge need for population health research that will assist decision/policy makers in facilitating health policy changes for improving the health status of our population," Burrell explained. "That is why we decided to fund the creation of the institute. New Mexico now will be a laboratory for dealing with the health population issues that face us over the next 50 years. It's perfect to be in Las Cruces, because the population of the area is exactly how the US population will look in the future."

Keynoting the event was Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee, DO, FACOFP and Vice President for Health Affairs, New York Institute of Technology and Founding Dean, Chief Academic Officer, NYIT College of Medicine at Arkansas State University, who discussed the importance of population health research and health policy analysis. Emphasizing the importance of international cooperation in health policy and research, Dr. Ross-Lee announced that the Burrell Institute will sponsor a permanent physician fellow to work with his or her counterpart from Mexico in examining and addressing the health challenges of the Border region.

Hilda Davila, Director General, International Relations for the Mexican Government's Secretary of Health, also announced that the Ministry of Health will also be placing a permanent Fellow at the Institute to work side-by-side with their US counterpart.

Dr. George Mychaskiw, Founding Dean of the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine and Co-Director of the Burrell Institute said, "The people of New Mexico, Texas and Chihuahua are the triplet children of different mothers.  It is imperative that we work together with our colleagues in Mexico to provide for improved health and a better future for us all."

In addition to the research, the Institute will add full-time jobs and research opportunities for BCOM students.

MORE ABOUT THE BURRELL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH POLICY & RESEARCH

The Institute will offer a multi-disciplinary approach to the analysis of determinants of health and health disparities, health care delivery, health policies, public health and health education programs. The Institute goals are to aid in improving the health status of the US-Mexico border population through its research, education, policy analysis and outreach.

The institute will embark on a variety of policy research projects and provide position papers to legislators, policy makers and the media. Collaborating with local, regional, national and international researchers from diverse agencies and organizations to analyze health conditions, evaluating programs and health care practices and conducting capacity building programs to improve local capacity.

A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=38483

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