ARLINGTON, Va. and DEERFIELD, Ill. -- In recognition of her notable contributions to the public through innovative health services research, Linda H. Aiken, Ph.D., has been selected as the first recipient of the William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research. The Prize will be awarded on June 24, 2006 at the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) annual meeting in Seattle. The William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research was established to honor the late William B. Graham, long-time chairman and CEO of Baxter International Inc., who passed away in January at the age of 94. The Prize, the highest distinction that researchers in the health services field can achieve, is sponsored by The Baxter International Foundation and administered by AUPHA. The Graham Prize will succeed The Baxter International Foundation Prize for Health Services Research, which has long been internationally regarded as the premier recognition for individuals practicing health services research.

"Linda Aiken has made many important contributions that have had a lasting impact on the healthcare system and the way healthcare is delivered," said Thomas Rundall, Ph.D., of the University of California, Berkeley, and selection committee chair. "Her work has greatly influenced nursing policies and practices, including nurse work force supply; nurse recruitment and retention; and hospital nursing governance, staffing, and patient care practices. She is recognized by scholars and practitioners alike for her many contributions to improving health and medical care in the U.S. and around the world."

Aiken has been a major contributor to the health workforce and outcomes research for two decades and has received many honors and awards for her work, including the 2006 Raymond and Beverly Sackler Award from Research! America for Sustained Leadership in Health Research and the 2005 AcademyHealth Distinguished Investigator Award in Health Services Research. Dr. Aiken was also awarded the 2003 Individual Earnest A. Codman Award from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) for her leadership utilizing performance measures to demonstrate relationships between nursing care and patient outcomes.

Aiken says of her selection, "It's an honor to have been selected by my research colleagues as the recipient of the William B. Graham Prize, and very gratifying to have validation that our research is making a difference in health care. I am grateful to The Baxter International Foundation for its long-standing interest in health services research and for its grant support for our research in its formative stages."

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