Renuka Tipirneni, MD, MSc, FACP

Dr. Renu Tipirneni is a general internal medicine physician, health policy researcher, and health care quality improvement leader. She is currently an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and of Health Management and Policy, Co-Director of the National Clinician Scholars Program, and a practicing general internist at the University of Michigan and Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. Her research and quality improvement activities focus on investigating and enhancing the effectiveness of health policies and programs for all patients, particularly disadvantaged populations. Her current work includes examinations of Medicaid policy, Medicare policy for older adults, and optimizing care for patients with social risks. Dr. Tipirneni serves as Program Director of the MSHIELD collaborative quality initiative which aims to identify and address patients’ health-related social needs across the state of Michigan. She has evaluated the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid expansion, the Medicare Advantage program, and other state and federal programs, and is a recipient of ongoing funding from the National Institute on Aging.

In 2026-2027, Dr. Tipirneni will serve as a RWJF Health Policy Fellow of the National Academy of Medicine, in Washington, DC, serving as a senior advisor to federal government officials. Dr. Tipirneni is passionate about the translation of research into implementation of health policies and health care delivery programs, including sharing lessons learned across communities and states. She is also dedicated to mentoring the next generation to improve health and health care.

My main research interests focus on investigating and enhancing the effectiveness of health policies and programs. Prior and current work includes examining variation in health insurance policies (e.g., Medicaid and Medicare), assessing patient- and community-level measures of social disadvantage, and improving health care delivery models, such as those addressing unmet social needs to improve population health.