David W Palm

David W Palm, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) College of Public Health, specializing in the Department of Health Services Research & Administration. He also serves as Director of the UNMC Center for Health Policy and has previously taught economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His career spans academic, governmental, and research roles focused on public health systems.

• Education: PhD in Economics and Industrial Relations (1976), University of Nebraska-Lincoln; MS in Economics (1968), University of Wyoming; BA in Business Administration (1967), Augustana College.

His research centers on public health accreditation, workforce capacity, integration of public health with healthcare systems, and rural health delivery reforms. He has pioneered studies on community benefits spending by nonprofit hospitals, electronic health records implementation, and immigrant healthcare disparities.

Publications highlight trends in health policy evaluation, quality improvement in local health departments, and socioeconomic determinants of healthcare access. He has contributed extensively to understanding Medicaid policies, rural health challenges, and health system integration strategies.

Dr. Palm actively collaborates with public health agencies and has led initiatives like the Nebraska Health Policy Academy. His work spans 40 years of government service and academic research, focusing on strategic planning and health systems evaluation.