Sheps Center researchers featured in The Well

ICYMI: The July 15, 2025 issue of THE WELL featured five Sheps Center researchers for their work to improve health care in rural areas. Read the article to learn more about the rural work Mark Holmes, PhD; Erin Fraher, PhD, MPP; Emily Hawes, PharmD, BCPS, CPP; Jacquie Halladay, MD, MPH; and Kristin Reiter, PhD are… Read more »

Sheps Center Provides Rural Hospital Financial Data to U.S. Senators

The Cecil G. Sheps Center received a request for rural hospital data from four U.S. Senators. In response, the Sheps Center provided data on indicators of financial vulnerability for rural hospitals across the country. Those indicators include whether Medicaid was a large payer and whether the hospital had three consecutive years of being nonprofitable. As part… Read more »

Mark Holmes named UNC Lambeth Distinguished Chair in Public Policy

Mark Holmes has been named the UNC Lambeth Distinguished Chair in Public Policy, a role that highlights his expertise and leadership in public health and policy. As the director of the Sheps Center for Health Services Research at UNC, Holmes is recognized for his contributions to health services research, focusing on improving healthcare systems and… Read more »

Dr. Holmes addresses US Senate Subcommittee on Rural Access to Care

  Dr. Mark Holmes, director of the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at UNC-CH and the North Carolina Rural Health Research Program, testified before the Senate Finance Committee’s Subcommittee on Health Care on May 17th, 2023. The hearing was titled “Improving Health Care Access in Rural Communities: Obstacles and Opportunities”.   Dr…. Read more »

New Research Provides County-Level ACA Eligibility Data, Highlights Enrollment Gaps

Rural Areas Continue to Face Lower ACA Enrollment Rates than Urban North Carolina A first-of-its-kind dashboard released this month spotlights county-level Affordable Care Act (ACA) eligibility and enrollment estimates along with outreach and enrollment event locations across North Carolina. The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at UNC-Chapel Hill created the tool to… Read more »

How can we improve health and health care in rural America?

  Mark Holmes, PhD Associate professor of health policy and management Director, UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research George Pink, PhD Humana Distinguished Professor of health policy and management How can we improve health and health care in rural America?