Robert S. Saunders

Robert Saunders, PhD, is Senior Research Director, Health Care Transformation at Duke-Margolis. In this role, he oversees the Institute’s workstream on payment and delivery reform initiatives, including generating practical evidence on these reforms; translating that evidence into recommended solutions; and accelerating progress on effective policy actions at the state, national, and international levels. The team includes portfolios focused on Medicare accountable care transformations, health care transformation for health equity and social needs, Medicaid and state health care transformation in North Carolina and other states, medically and socially underserved populations, and bolstering population health. Prior to joining Duke-Margolis, Dr. Saunders was a Senior Director and then Senior Advisor to the President of the National Quality Forum, Senior Program Officer at the Institute of Medicine, and managed health care legislative affairs for Representative Rush D. Holt during the Affordable Care Act debates. He received his PhD from Duke University and his undergraduate degree from William and Mary.