Dennis Andrulis, Ph.D.
Dennis Andrulis, Ph.D. is a Senior Research Scientist at the Texas Health Institute, a non profit policy research organization, and is an Associate Professor at the University of Texas School of Public Health. In his current roles and previous positions as Research Dean at the Drexel University School of Public Health and Director of its Center for Health Equality, Dennis has led the development of numerous initiatives on racial and ethnic disparities and cultural competence, working at the community level, for states, and nationally.
His recent work includes the development of assessment tools on emergency preparedness for primary care sites with a special emphasis on addressing the challenges of engaging racially and ethnically diverse communities; analyzing Republican and Democratic presidential candidate health reform platforms, related legislation and the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, creation of a cultural competence self-assessment tool for health care organizations; and serving as co-founder of a national conference series on quality health care for culturally diverse populations, now in its 12th year.
He developed a compendium and analysis of national data sources on the nation’s 100 largest cities and their surrounding areas, entitled The Social and Health Landscape of Urban and Suburban America; assisting in the implementation of a HRSA CAP grant for Nassau County, NY focusing on program evaluation and integrating cultural competence into the intervention strategies and the overall program; and assisting the Health Research and Education Trust in creating a cultural competence curriculum for health care leaders.
Dr. Andrulis was part of the core faculty for the NIH award to the Arthur Ashe Institute and Downstate Medical Center to address cardiovascular disparities, and was charged with the responsibility of curriculum development. He also has participated in and/or chaired numerous national committees and advisory groups addressing disparities, communication and cultural competence, including efforts convened by the Joint Commission, the National Institute for Child Health Quality, The American Medical Association and the National Quality Forum and Pfizer (health literacy).
He has a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin and a Masters of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
