Kronick to succeed Clancy as AHRQ director

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has named Richard Kronick, HHS' deputy assistant secretary for planning and evaluation, to succeed Dr. Carolyn Clancy as director of the department's Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality this month, according to AHRQ.

Kronick has been on leave from his position as professor and chief of the division of healthcare sciences at the University of California, San Diego since January 2010, when he left for HHS. In his current role, he oversees the office of health policy.

From 1993 to 1994, Kronick served as a senior healthcare policy adviser in the Clinton administration, according to his university biography. Previously, he served as director of policy and reimbursement for the Medicaid division of the Massachusetts Department of Welfare. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Rochester.

In an announcement, health policy research organization AcademyHealth referred to Kronick as a “respected researcher with a deep understanding of the critical role of evidence in supporting high-quality healthcare and the intricacies of policymaking at the federal level.” Kronick is a member of AcademyHealth and served on its Methods Council, which helps the organization develop strategies for professional development in health services research.

“AHRQ has important work ahead,” Sebelius said in a statement, “and I look forward to continuing to work with Dr. Kronick in this new role.”

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