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Sichel scholar will address 'health care mess'

by Mark Schwerin

Oct. 30, 2011 | WMU News

Photo of Charles Phelps.
Phelps
KALAMAZOO--A visiting scholar in mathematics, hospital administration and economics will offer a unique perspective of what went wrong with health care reform when he gives a presentation as part of the Werner Sichel Lecture Series at Western Michigan University.

Dr. Charles Phelps will speak at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, in Room 2028 of Brown Hall. His presentation, "Our Own Worst Enemies: How We and Our Government Created, Extended and Exacerbated the Health Care Mess," is free and open to the public.

Charles Phelps

Phelps is professor and provost emeritus at the University of Rochester and earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics from Pomona College and his master's and doctoral degrees in hospital administration and business economics, respectively, from the University of Chicago. After beginning his research career at the RAND Corp. in 1971, he moved on to the University of Rochester in 1984, with appointments in economics and political science.

Phelps made significant contributions to the University of Rochester as a teacher and scholar and served in several key leadership capacities. In 1994, he was appointed university provost, holding that position until August 2007, when he became professor and provost emeritus.

Phelps has published numerous peer-reviewed articles covering the fields of health economics, health policy, medical decision analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis of various medical interventions and other related topics. He also wrote a leading textbook in the field, which is now in its fourth edition, and "Eight Questions You Should Ask About Our Health Care System (Even if the Answers Make You Sick)."

Sichel Lecture Series

The Sichel Series is organized by the WMU Department of Economics and named in honor of longtime WMU economics professor Dr. Werner Sichel, who retired in 2004. The series is annually sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences and W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.

Visit the Department of Economics at wmich.edu/economics