HealthPartners Institute names new Executive Director of Research

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Karen Margolis, MD, MPH, was named Executive Director, Research for HealthPartners Institute. At HealthPartners, she has served in a variety of roles including, most recently, as Senior Medical Director for Care Improvement Research.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to join the strong leadership team at the HealthPartners Institute,” said Margolis. “I look forward to continuing to support the HealthPartners mission through research.”

 In her new position, Margolis will be part of a leadership dyad with Jane Duncan, who is Director, Research Strategy and Administration. Together they will be accountable for leading and supporting the work of the research division. Karen will transition into this role over the next couple of months.

“The innovative research happening at HealthPartners is making a big difference for patients and members,” said Jeanette Augustson, HealthPartners Institute, Executive Director of Operations. “Karen is committed to advancing the impact we have in finding new opportunities through research to improve the quality of care, the experience for patients and members, and the affordability of health care.”

Margolis' research interests include hypertension, diabetes, prevention of cardiovascular disease and women’s health. She is the principal investigator for Hyperlink, a series of NIH- and PCORI-funded research projects to study methods to improve the control of hypertension using home blood pressure telemonitoring and pharmacist management. And she is also a Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School, with an adjunct appointment in the School of Public Health’s Division of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Margolis joined HealthPartners in 2005 in a shared position as a primary care physician and researcher. She attended the University of Michigan for her undergraduate work and medical school training. She completed her internal medicine residency and research fellowship at the University of Minnesota, earning a Master’s of Public Health degree in Epidemiology.