2022 Distinguished Scientist Kevin G. Volpp, MD, PhD, FAHA

Kevin G. Volpp, MD, PhD, FAHA
Mark V. Pauly Presidential Distinguished Professor
Perelman School of Medicine and the Wharton School
Director, Penn Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics
Wynnewood, PA

Dr. Volpp is the founding Director of the Penn Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics (CHIBE) and the Mark V. Pauly President’s Distinguished Professor at the Perelman School of Medicine and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He has led CHIBE since its inception turning it into an entity which became 1 of 2 original NIH Centers on behavioral economics and health and that involves more than 90 faculty members and trainees.

Dr. Volpp’s work focuses on developing and testing innovative ways of applying insights from behavioral economics in improving patient health behavior and increasing health system value by influencing provider performance. Dr. Volpp has published more than 300 articles, book chapters, and commentaries. His work has served as the foundation for benefit design initiatives using financial incentives for smoking cessation used by many large employers including GE and CVS, a prescription refill synchronization program for Humana members, a redesign of a primary care physician payment for clinicians across Hawaii, a simple health insurance plan called “Humana Simplicity”, and an ‘enhanced active choice’ approach used among tens of millions of CVS members to increase the ease of receiving automated medication refills.

Dr. Volpp’s work has been recognized by the Matilda White Riley Award by the Office of Social and Behavioral Science at NIH, the John Eisenberg Award from the Society of General Internal Medicine, the American College of Physicians Behavioral Medicine Award, and the Association for Clinical and Translational Science Distinguished Investigator Award for Clinical and Translational Science, and article-of-the-year awards by numerous professional societies. He has served as a mentor for dozens of individuals who have emerged as national leaders in academia, private, and public sector organizations. Volpp is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and an editorial board member of NEJM Catalyst.