What Are Think Tanks

Research the concept of think tank methods, or methods that are deliberate and foster innovation.

            Many of the think tanks we hear about on the news and read about on the internet discuss public policy and politics. In the simplest sense, think tanks provide research findings, data analysis, and advice (McGann, 2016). This definition overly simplifies the role think tanks play in topic-specific research and the dissemination of information. Think tanks, also known as policy institutes, explore various topics that include politics, technology, social concerns, and medicine. They distribute information in various published forums and form the bases many organizations exploit in the decision-making process (Medvetz, 2012).

            

In general, think tanks seek to change public behavior and policy and utilize five strategies to achieve positive changes and introduce innovation. The first is combining ideas and identifying how they work together. The second is reverse design the problem to find a solution. The third mechanism is rapid prototyping and iterative development. The fourth means is funding other problem solvers. Finally, develop a tool for sharing information as widely as possible (Hernandez, 2018).

 

Highlight 2–3 of them, and discuss some key points about each

            Founded in 1948, the Kaiser Family Foundation remains one of the most influential think tanks. The organization seeks to answer questions and drive policy regarding healthcare in the United States. While the focus centers on the American medical community, the organization also addresses worldwide healthcare issues (Claxton et al., 2016).

 

An example of a topic addressed through research is COVID-19 vaccination and public adoption. The qualitative study tracks people's attitudes about effectiveness and interest in receiving the vaccine. The results showed general optimism regarding the vaccine despite the frequent media topic of vaccine hesitancy (Forman et al., 2021).

 

Another healthcare think tank instrumental in changing American policy is the National Quality Forum or NQF. The NQF publishes research regarding quality drivers in healthcare and develops standards for the treatment of diseases. Essentially, NQF is a promoter of patient protections, and more than 400 organizations participate in their quality programs and regulatory reporting (Kizer, 2000).

References

Claxton, G., Rae, M., Long, M., Damico, A., Foster, G., & Whitmore, H. (2016). Kaiser Family Foundation. Health Research & Educational Trust. https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/newsroom/press-kits/2014/20140818_claxton_bio.pdf

 

Forman, R., Shah, S., Jeurissen, P., Jit, M., & Mossialos, E. (2021). COVID-19 Vaccine Challenges: What have we learned so far and what remains to be done? Health Policy. https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/poll-finding/kff-covid-19-vaccine-monitor-what-weve-learned-april-2021/

 

Hernandez, M. (2018). Think Tank Methods. Think Tank. https://mkhernandez.wordpress.com/2018/01/13/think-tank-methods/

 

Kizer, K. W. (2000). The National Quality Forum Seeks to Improve Health Care. Academic Medicine, 75(4), 320-321. https://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/Fulltext/2000/04000/The_National_Quality_Forum_Seeks_to_Improve_Health.5.aspx

 

McGann, J. (2016). The Fifth Estate: Think Tanks, Public Policy, and Governance (First ed.). Brookings Institution Press.

 

Medvetz, T. (2012). Think Tanks in America. University of Chicago Press.