Aerial view of University of Michigan Health hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
General Medicine Research

The U-M Medical School Department of Internal Medicine's Division of General Medicine is home to faculty with innovative and diverse research interests. We study how the health system works, how to improve healthcare delivery so that everyone can get patient-centered, high-quality care, and how to advance the health of our communities and the nation, including areas such as:

  • delivery of healthcare
  • healthcare outcomes
  • cost of healthcare and pharmaceuticals
  • care of the disadvantaged and other vulnerable populations
  • history of medicine
  • special issues in the care of patients with multiple diseases

In 2023, our 33 research faculty members had over 250 publications. In addition, we have over 30 federal grants.
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Research Centers & Programs

Many of our faculty members conduct research and hold leadership roles in a number of research centers and programs at Michigan Medicine and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System.

Cancer Surveillance and Outcomes Research Team (CanSORT)

The Cancer Surveillance and Outcomes Research Team (CanSORT) is a multidisciplinary group of investigators based at Michigan Medicine and the VA Center for Clinical Management Research representing the fields of internal medicine, surgery, radiation, oncology, nursing, behavioral science, health services research, biostatistics and epidemiology. Our investigators are located at five universities and cancer centers throughout the United States.

CanSORT studies the quality of cancer care across the continuum of care from prevention to survivorship. The team also develops and evaluates interventions to improve cancer care including decision tools for patients and clinicians, and dissemination strategies to more quickly move research results to the provider community.

Center for Health Communications Research (CHCR)

The Center for Health Communications Research (CHCR) is a dedicated team integrating behavioral science, technology and art to create and research health interventions that inspire informed health decisions, broaden access to health information and advance the field of health communications.Center for Value-Based Insurance Design (V-BID)

The Center for Value-Based Insurance Design, is built on the principle of lowering or removing financial barriers to essential, high-value clinical services. V-BID plans align patients’ out-of-pocket costs, such as copayments, with the value of services. By reducing barriers to high-value treatments (through lower costs to patients) and discouraging low-value treatments (through higher costs to patients), these plans can achieve improved health outcomes at any level of health care expenditure.

Cognitive Health Services Research Program

The Cognitive Health Services Research Program conducts innovative research in cognitive impairment and dementia that informs health care policies, guides clinical decision making and improves the health and well-being of individuals.

Program to Accelerate Research and Delivery Innovations in General Medicine (PARADIGM)

PARADIGM is a signature program in the division that seeks to create opportunities to find long-term solutions for improving how primary care is organized and delivered to optimize healthcare value, clinician well-being and patient-centered outcomes. Clinical faculty will submit proposals for projects and work with a research faculty member, the PARADIGM project team and division leadership to implement projects in the clinical setting.

VA Center for Clinical Management Research (CCMR)

The VA Center for Clinical Management Research (CCMR) is a VA Health Services Research and Development Center of Innovation located in Ann Arbor, MI with over 40 investigators, 150 staff and annual extramural funding of over $18 million. The CCMR's vision is to improve the quality, effectiveness, safety and efficiency of Veterans’ healthcare through research and partnerships that are driven by important challenges in clinical management.
Hear from our Faculty

My career path as a generalist provided me the opportunity to pursue multiple, diverse research areas and practice medicine across the entire spectrum of clinical care. This flexibility enabled me to work closely with colleagues from several medical and nonmedical disciplines who contributed significantly to my personal and professional growth.

A Mark Fendrick, MD
Featured Research Articles See all news image of people in green yellow pale blue and pink getting vaccines and out and about
Health Lab
Vaccines: A few minutes now could spare you misery later
Adults, especially people over 50, should get immunized against COVID-19, flu and other infections, to prevent fall and winter illness, hospitalization and worse
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Health Lab
As election approaches, national poll shows which health topics concern older adults most
Health care costs of different kinds, and financial scams, are top of mind for people age 50 and older going into the November election.
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Health Lab
Can meditation and stretching relieve cramping caused by cirrhosis?
People suffering from cirrhosis may find some symptom relief from two accessible activities: stretching and meditation. A study from the University of Michigan compared the two therapies as a means to relieve nocturnal muscle cramps and found both effective.
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Health Lab
Caregiving: Poll reveals who’s providing care and who they’re caring for
Caregivers are more likely to be in their 50s and early 60s, female and believe the government should take the lead on the cost of caring for older adults.
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Health Lab
Better medical record-keeping needed to fight antibiotic overuse, studies suggest
Efforts to reduce overuse of antibiotics may be hampered by incomplete medical records that don’t show the full reasons for prescriptions.
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Health Lab
The doctor is in…. but what’s behind them?
A study reveals that what a doctor has behind them during a telehealth visit can make a difference in how the patient feels about them and their care.