Dr. Peter George Szilagyi, MD

Dr. Szilagyi is a health services researcher and studies methods to improve the quality of care and health outcomes for children and adolescents. He directs a large research operation in the Robert J Haggerty Health Services Research Laboratory. His major areas of research are: (1) improving immunization coverage for children (2) evaluating the effect of health insurance or lack of insurance on pediatric health care and (3) improving the quality of care and outcomes for high risk children including impoverished children, and those with chronic medical or psychosocial problems. Dr. Szilagyi's directs one of the leading childhood immunization research centers in the nation. Studies include measuring the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases, studying new vaccines and their impact on health, adolescent immunization delivery, influenza vaccination, and strategies to improve immunization rates for impoverished children, adolescents, and adults. His studies of the uninsured and the impact …of health insurance on children helped lead to the national implementation of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), and his recent evaluations of SCHIP have contributed to major health policy improvements for children. Multidisciplinary studies led by Dr. Szilagyi and colleagues have involved improving the care of urban children with asthma in both primary care and community settings, enhancing the detection and management of post-partum depression in primary care, improving the quality of care and health outcomes of children in foster care, and studies of the natural history, detection and management of childhood obesity. He is one of the medical center's leaders of the Clinical Translational Science Institute (CTSI) funded by an NIH CTSA grant, serving as co-leader of the practice-based research network program, a leader within the Community Engagement component, and a member of the Mentoring Committee. Dr. Szilagyi is the author of more than 165 peer-reviewed manuscripts, numerous chapters and invited papers, and is the pediatric editor of several textbooks- the Bates Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking, the Merck Manual, the Merck Home Edition, and the Merck Manual of Children's Health. He is also the Editor, Academic Pediatrics and member of Board of Directors. He spends substantial time each week mentoring faculty and fellows, directs the General Academic Pediatric Fellowship Program, and is the 2006 recipient of the University of Rochester's School of Medicine faculty mentoring award.