Lawton R. Burns

Lawton R. Burns is the James Joo-Jin Kim Professor of Health Care Management and Professor of Management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He serves as Co-Director of the Roy and Diana Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management and Chairperson of the Health Care Systems Department since 2008. Dr. Burns holds a PhD in sociology and an MBA in health administration from the University of Chicago, along with a BA from Haverford College.

• PhD, University of Chicago (1981)
• MBA, University of Chicago (1984)
• MA, University of Chicago (1976)
• BA, Haverford College (1973)

His research focuses on healthcare supply chains, organizational innovation, and strategic management in health systems. He has authored or co-authored 15+ books, including analyses of integrated healthcare, pharmaceutical and medical device sectors, and global health systems in India and China. Recent works examine evidence-based healthcare innovation and the role of GPOs/PBMs in drug pricing.

Dr. Burns advises on healthcare policy, including Senate testimony on pharmacy benefit managers and antitrust implications of physician-hospital organizations. His teaching covers healthcare strategy, managed care, integrated delivery networks, and the U.S. healthcare ecosystem, with courses requiring competitive analysis of producer, purchaser, and provider organizations.

• Board of Institute of Medicine, Health Services Research Section (2003)
• Arthur Anderson Distinguished Visitor, University of Cambridge (2001)
• Teacher of the Year, Administrative Medicine Program (1999)
• Edwin Crosby Memorial Fellowship (1992-93)
• Udall Fellowship (1990-91)
• Invited Lecture Series, Catholic University of Rome (1997)