Alden Lai
Alden Lai
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Assistant Professor of Public Health Policy and Management
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Professional overview
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Alden Lai studies the quality of jobs and work environments (i.e., “work design”) of workers to achieve better employee outcomes and organizational performance in health care. He uses qualitative and mixed methods to examine workplace behaviors that have important implications for employees, patients, and organizations, such as proactive behavior among frontline workers. With an aim of enhancing worker wellbeing, his research has been published in both management and health care journals, including Academy of Management Discoveries, Health Care Management Review, Medical Care Research and Review, Journal of General Internal Medicine, and The Milbank Quarterly. He is an editorial board member for Health Care Management Review and Medical Care Research and Review, and has served as a national and international expert for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on workforce issues. He is an affiliated faculty member in the Department of Management and Organizations at NYU Stern.
Dr. Lai has received international recognition for his research, teaching, and contributions to his field. They include an Early Career Achievement Award, Outstanding Early Career Educator Award, and Outstanding Paper based on a Dissertation Award from the Academy of Management’s Health Care Management Division, and a Teaching Excellence Award from GPH.
At GPH, he teaches courses on management, leadership, and strategy in public health.
Dr. Lai has advised federal and state governments, health systems, international and non-profit organizations, corporations, and philanthropies internationally. His professional experiences include being a management consultant and social enterprise strategist. He is currently a board member for the Wellbeing for Planet Earth Foundation, whose mission is to foster a more globally inclusive understanding of wellbeing for research, practice, and policy.
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Education
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BA, Psychology, National University of Singapore, SingaporeMPH, Social & Behavioral Sciences, The University of Tokyo, JapanPhD, Health Policy & Management (Organizational Behavior), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
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Honors and awards
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Outstanding Early Career Educator Award, Health Care Management Division, Academy of Management (2025)Early Career Teaching Excellence Award, NYU GPH (2025)Early Career Achievement Award, Health Care Management Division, Academy of Management (2024)“40 Under 40 in Public Health” Award, Boston Congress of Public Health (2023)Denny Gioia Award for Best Qualitative Paper, Managerial and Organizational Cognition Division, Academy of Management (2023)“Best Paper” (top 10%), Managerial and Organizational Cognition Division, Academy of Management (2023)Goddard Faculty Award, NYU GPH (2023)NYU GPH Leadership Development Award (2021)19 Washington Square North Faculty Fellowship (2021)Outstanding Paper based on a Dissertation Award, Division of Health Care Management, Academy of Management (2021)Show Chwan Scholar in Health Care Management (2018)Sir Arthur Newsholme Scholar (2015)The University of Tokyo President Award (2013)University of Copenhagen-International Alliance of Research Universities Scholar (2012)Government of Japan Monbukagakusho Scholar (2011)Sato-Yo International Foundation Scholar (2009)
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Areas of research and study
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Health Care ManagementHealth Care WorkforceKnowledge WorkersPrimary CareProactivity at WorkQualitative ResearchWell-Being at WorkWork Design
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Consulting and Community Engagement
1199 Benefit and Pension Funds
Ajinomoto
Ando Foundation
Ashoka
Asian Venture Philanthropy Network
Australian Sports Commission
Carnegie UK Trust
Clinical Directors Network Inc.
Columbia University Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures
Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs
Diplomatic Courier
Earth Company
G1 Institute Japan
Gallup Inc.
Government of Australia, Treasury
Harvard University Human Flourishing Program
John Templeton Foundation
Katsuiku Foundation
Learned Society of Wales
National Healthcare Group
Nestle
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Equitable Health Systems
New York City Health + Hospitals
New York City Office of Labor Relations
New York City Department of Education, Office of School Health
Nikkei
OECD Center for Well-Being, Inclusion, Sustainability and Equal Opportunity
Otsuka Pharmaceutical
Oxford University Wellbeing Research Centre
Permanent Delegation of Japan to the OECD
PERSOL Holdings
Physician Affiliate Group of New York
Prime Minister’s Office, Iceland
Tecnologico de Monterrey, Human Flourishing Projects
Templeton World Charity Foundation
The Consumer Goods Forum
The Hastings Center
The HOW Institute for Society
The Leadership and Happiness Laboratory, Harvard Kennedy School
KRC Research and United Minds, The Weber Shandwick Collective
UNICEF Office of Global Insight and Policy
United Nations Human Development Report Office
United Nations Statistics Division
Unson Foundation
WHO Commission on Social Connection
Woodlands Health Campus
World Happiness Council-
Publications
Publications
Five ways – beyond current policy – to truly integrate telehealth into primary care practices
AbstractLai, A. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Journal title
Health Affairs ForefrontAbstract~Forging hospital and community partnerships to enable care coordination for opioid use disorder
AbstractLindenfeld, Z., Franz, B., Lai, A., Pagán, J. A., Fenstemaker, C., Cronin, C. E., & Chang, J. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Addiction Science and Clinical PracticeVolume
20Issue
1AbstractBackground: Programs that aim to increase access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment in hospital-based settings have proliferated in recent years. These efforts include transitional opioid programs (TOPs), which navigate patients to community-based SUD treatment programs post-discharge. Successful navigation from TOPs to outpatient treatment hinges on effective coordination between hospitals and post-discharge endpoints, yet it is unclear how hospitals can best develop effective partnerships with outpatient treatment organizations. The objective of this study is to synthesize the common themes underpinning the development of partnerships to facilitate care transitions between TOPs and ongoing SUD treatment. Methods: Qualitative study with staff and providers from hospitals affiliated with four safety-net health systems (n = 21) and leaders from community-based organizations (CBOs) and treatment facilities that had established referral partnerships with one of the four health systems in our study (n = 4). Results: Analysis of interview transcripts revealed seven common themes that underpinned the development of care transitions partnerships: (1) Active, intentional outreach; (2) Responding to a community need; (3) External Enabling Factors; (4) Leveraging reputations and community connections; (5) Focusing on operations; (6) Reciprocal relationships; and (7) Building Infrastructure and Processes to Ensure Collaboration. The seven identified themes were categorized into three groups corresponding to different partnership development stages. The first group revolves around the initial stage of meeting and developing a relationship (themes #1–4). The second set focuses on navigating and resolving challenges that arise in the partnership (themes #5–6). Lastly, the third group pertains to sustaining a partnership long-term (theme #7). Conclusions: This study identifies seven core themes underlying the development of care transition partnerships for SUD patients within four safety net health systems and their CBO partners. These themes demonstrate how partner organizations can establish the trust, reciprocity, and commitment necessary to support patients through the critical transition period.Global Trends of Mean and Inequality in Multidimensional Wellbeing : Analysis of 1.2 Million Individuals From 162 Countries, 2009–2019
AbstractShiba, K., Cowden, R. G., Gonzalez, N., Lee, M. T., Lomas, T., Lai, A., & VanderWeele, T. J. (n.d.).Publication year
2022Journal title
Frontiers in Public HealthVolume
10AbstractIntroduction: Human flourishing is a multidimensional concept characterized by a state of complete wellbeing. However, much of the prior research on wellbeing has principally focused on population averages assessed using a single item of wellbeing. This study examined trends in population averages and inequalities for a multidimensional index of wellbeing and compared emergent patterns with those found for Cantril's ladder, a measure of life satisfaction commonly used as a unidimensional index of wellbeing. Methods: Data were from the Gallup World Poll from the years 2009 to 2019, a repeated cross-sectional survey of nationally representative samples comprising ~1.2 million individuals from 162 countries. We assessed five domains of flourishing: (1) happiness, (2) health, (3) purpose, (4) character, and (5) social relationships. We used the Gini Index to estimate inequalities in wellbeing within populations. We examined and compared country ranking, global and region-specific trajectories of mean and inequality, and relationships with age for flourishing and Cantril's ladder. Results: Although all trends were highly correlated across the two metrics of wellbeing, we identified distinct patterns in flourishing concerning geography, time, and age relationships that were not observed for Cantril's ladder. Temporal trends and age relationships were different across domains of flourishing. Evidence of changing inequalities in wellbeing was also found, even when population averages were high or stable over time. Conclusion: Comprehensive measures of wellbeing are needed to capture the complex and changing patterns of wellbeing both within and across populations.Health literacy training for public health nurses in Fukushima : A case-study of program adaptation, implementation and evaluation
AbstractGoto, A., Rudd, R. E., Lai, A., & Yoshida-Komiya, H. (n.d.).Publication year
2014Journal title
Japan Medical Association JournalVolume
57Issue
3Page(s)
146-153AbstractHealth literacy comprises not only an individual’s ability to gain access to, understand and use health information, but also health care providers’ ability to make health information accessible and usable. The Fukushima nuclear accident has posed challenges related to the communication of radiation-related health information. Public health nurses are gatekeepers of community health in Japan, and have primary responsibility for communicating this complex information about science and risk to lay members of the community. A health literacy training program was designed to augment communication skills of participating nurses with two primary goals: changing communication practices and norms among public health nurses, and improving access to information for community residents. Training content incorporated an overview of health literacy skills (including numeracy), processes for assessing written materials and visual displays, as well as guidelines for text improvement. The workshop was spread across two days with two-hour sessions each day. A proximal post-training evaluation survey was conducted, followed by a more distal one-month follow-up evaluation to assess the application of learned skills in practice. Twenty-six nurses in Fukushima City attended the first trial. Post-training evaluations were highly positive, with agreement from 85-100% of participants on the appropriateness and usefulness of the workshop. During a one-month follow-up, the nurses reported applying new knowledge and skills to develop written materials. However, they faced difficulties sharing their new skills with colleagues and challenges changing work norms. Participants also encountered difficulties using graphics and explaining risks in practice. This paper highlights the importance of providing health literacy training opportunities for professionals to strengthen health system’s ability to accessible information and services. This program also serves as important reference for future disaster management efforts.Health literacy training for public health nurses in fukushima : A multi-site program evaluation
AbstractGoto, A., Lai, A., & Rudd, R. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2015Journal title
Japan Medical Association JournalVolume
58Issue
3Page(s)
69-77AbstractPublic health nurses (PHNs) are community residents’ access points to health information and services in Japan. After the Fukushima nuclear accident, they were challenged to communicate radiation-related health information to best meet community needs. We previously developed and evaluated the outcome of a single-site health literacy training program to augment PHNs’ ability to improve community residents’ access to written health information. This paper presents an evaluation of an identical training program using data combined from multiple sites, and further included proximal and distal evaluations to document the impact of health literacy training in a post-disaster setting. A total of 64 participants, primarily experienced PHNs, attended one of three multisession health literacy workshops conducted in multiple sites across Fukushima. Quantitative and qualitative data on PHNs’ training satisfaction, self-evaluation of achievements regarding training goals, and application of learned skills were collected and analyzed. Each workshop consisted of two 2-hour sessions introducing health literacy and assessment tools and developing skills to improve written materials, followed by a one-month follow- up assessment on PHNs’ application of the gained skills in the field. Post-training evaluations on the appropriateness and usefulness of the workshop were highly positive. At the end of the one-month follow-up, 45% of participants had gained confidence in assessing and revising written materials and had applied the skills they had gained to develop and communicate health information in various settings and modes. This increase in confidence was associated with further application of the learned skills at the municipal level. However, participants reported difficulties in explaining risks, and the need to learn more about plain language to be able to paraphrase professional terms. This paper highlighs the positive outcomes of health literacy training among PHNs. Practical strategies to reinforce their skills to use plain language and communicate the epidemiological concept of risk are also recommended.Identifying teaching award criteria for health professional educators
AbstractKrishnasamy, C., Lai, A., Lim, L., & Lee, R. (n.d.).Publication year
2016Journal title
Medical educationVolume
50Issue
11Page(s)
1168-1169Abstract~Implementation strategies to enhance hospitals’ adoption of screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment for opioid use disorder
AbstractLai, A. (n.d.).Journal title
Journal of General Internal MedicineAbstract~Independent primary care practices are small businesses, too
AbstractLai, A. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Journal title
Health Affairs ForefrontAbstract~Innovative collaborations and secondary data research
AbstractLai, A. (n.d.).Publication year
2021AbstractRaj, M., Sullivan, E. E., DePuccio, M. J., Thomas, S. C., Lai, A. Y., Tietschert, M. V., Fleuren B. P. I., Sriharan, A., and McAlearney, A. S. (2021, August 4). Health Care Management Research Consortium: Innovative collaborations and secondary data research. The 81st Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, virtual.Insights from the first global survey of balance and harmony
AbstractLomas, T., Lai, A., Shiba, K., Diego-Rosell, P., Uchida, Y., & VanderWeele, T. J. (n.d.).Publication year
2022Abstract~Introduction : A Practical Guide on How to Survive and Thrive as an Early Career Researcher
AbstractAbstractMany people complete an undergraduate degree and think ‘Great, I don't have to go to uni ever again!' But there are some, like us, who are interested in a career in research - we stay on at universities or research institutions to pursue graduate degrees, postdoctoral training, and eventually our first faculty research positions. We call ourselves Early Career Researchers or ECRs for short. The name implies we are still early in our careers, still training to become independent scientists, and we are not yet expected to ‘know it all' compared to our senior colleagues (in theory at least). We are encouraged to experiment with our research topics and approaches, and we often experience successes and failures along the way. Our institutions may also prioritise our status as trainees allowing more flexibility around teaching or service requirements. In short, we often have a huge sandbox to play in, while we seek to establish our independent research portfolios. Being an ECR, however, can be quite daunting as we transition from relatively structured coursework to a much more independent work schedule. We quickly realise the need to develop a range of skills such as project management, networking, and media engagement. The challenges of building and managing a research team as the lead investigator start to surface. We may be thrown into work situations that are novel to us (e.g., talking to the media, giving an industry talk). Yet, these skills are not usually taught in formal coursework to graduate students, and we may lack the means to systematically learn them in our current positions. The Survival Guide for Early Career Researchers aims to fill this gap.Is it fair? How to approach professional scope-of-practice policy after the COVID-19 pandemic
AbstractLai, A. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Journal title
Health Affairs ForefrontAbstract~Job burnout: Consequences for individuals, organizations, and equity
AbstractLai, A. (n.d.).Publication year
2024Abstract~Lai, A. Y. (2024, Feb 8). Uncertainty and Curiosity. Gallup Global Learning Day, Gallup Inc. Virtual.
AbstractLai, A. (n.d.).Publication year
2024Abstract~Lai, A. Y. (2024, Oct 2). Consequences of burnout and implications for equity. The Impact of Burnout on Gender Equity in Science, Engineering, and Medicine: A Workshop. Committee on Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Washington DC, USA.
AbstractLai, A. (n.d.).Publication year
2024Abstract~Lai, A. Y. (2025, Apr 2). Job burnout, employee wellbeing, and work design. Latin American Initiative for Health Management and Innovation Annual Summit 2025, INCAE Business School, La Garita, Costa Rica.
AbstractLai, A. (n.d.).Publication year
2024Abstract~Lai, A. Y., Cheung, F., Lee, Y. A., Paul, R., Uchida, Y., Wang, S., & Wu, F. Y. (2025, Mar 21). World Happiness Report 2025 Asian Launch [chair]. Virtual.
AbstractLai, A. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Abstract~Lai, A. Y., De Neve, J.-E., Dugan, A., Morishima, C., & Prati, A. (2024, November 6). Cooking and eating together: exploring the connection between well-being and food [moderator]. 7th OECD World Forum on well-being, Rome, Italy.
AbstractLai, A. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Abstract~Lai, A. Y., Fairley, H., Gifford, D., & Platt, J. (2025, Apr 30). What do we know about how to build clinician trust in organizations. Summit on Clinician Trust in Healthcare Organizations, the George Washington University Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity, American Board of Internal Medicine, and Hastings Center, Washington DC, USA.
AbstractLai, A. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Abstract~Lai, A. Y., Morishima C., & De Neve, J.-E. (2025, March 20). Sharing meals and happiness [moderator]. World Happiness Report 2025 Launch, Gallup, Washington DC, USA.
AbstractLai, A. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Abstract~Lai. A. Y. (2024, December 5). Discussion on Mapping human flourishing research in Mexico. International Seminar on Human Flourishing in Latin America, Tecnológico de Monterrey and the Templeton World Charity Foundation, Monterrey, Mexico.
AbstractLai, A. (n.d.).Publication year
2024Abstract~Leveraging public health nurses for disaster risk communication in Fukushima City : A qualitative analysis of nurses' written records of parenting counseling and peer discussions
AbstractGoto, A., Rudd, R. E., Lai, A., Yoshida, K., Suzuki, Y., Halstead, D. D., Yoshida-Komiya, H., & Reich, M. R. (n.d.).Publication year
2014Journal title
BMC health services researchVolume
14Issue
1AbstractBackground: Local public health nurses (PHNs) have been recognized as the main health service providers in communities in Japan. The Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 has, however, created a major challenge for them in responding to mothers' concerns. This was in part due to difficulties in assessing, understanding and communicating health risks on low-dose radiation exposure. In order to guide the development of risk communication plans, this study sought to investigate mothers' primary concerns and possible solutions perceived by a core healthcare profession like the PHNs. Methods. A total of 150 records from parenting counseling sessions conducted between PHNs and mothers who have attended mandatory 18-month health checkups for their children at the Fukushima City Health and Welfare Center in 2010, 2011 (year of disaster) and 2012 were examined. Discussion notes of three peer discussions among PHNs organized in response to the nuclear disaster in 2012 and 2013 were also analyzed. All transcribed data were first subjected to text mining to list the words according to their frequencies and inter-relationships. The Steps Coding and Theorization method was then undertaken as a framework for qualitative analysis. Results: PHNs noted mothers to have considerable needs for information on radiation risks as they impact on decisions related to relocations, concerns for child safety, and experiences with interpersonal conflicts within the family owing to differing risk perceptions. PHNs identified themselves as the information channels in the community, recommended the building of their risk communication capacities to support residents in making well-informed decisions, and advocated for self-measurement of radiation levels to increase residents' sense of control. PHNs also suggested a more standardized form of information dissemination and an expansion of community-based counseling services. Conclusions: Inadequate risk communication on radiation in the Fukushima nuclear incident has resulted in multiple repercussions for mothers in the community. Empowerment of local residents to assume more active roles in the understanding of their environment, increasing PHNs' capacity in communication, and an expansion of health services such as counseling will together better address risk communication challenges in post-disaster recovery efforts.Leveraging Public Health Nurses for Disaster Risk Communication in Fukushima City : A Qualitative Analysis of Nurses’ Written Records of Parenting Counseling and Peer Discussions
AbstractGoto, A., Rudd, R. E., Lai, A., Yoshida, K., Suzuki, Y., Halstead, D. D., Yoshida-Komiya, H., & Reich, M. R. (n.d.).Publication year
2016Page(s)
225-246AbstractExperience from past nuclear accidents shows that poor risk communication increases uncertainty and panic among the public [1], which has also been observed after the Fukushima nuclear disaster that occurred on March 11, 2011 following the Great East Japan Earthquake. The central government of Japan failed to inform the municipal governments of the occurrence and severity of the incident in a timely manner, leading to chaotic migrations among residents, and eventually causing excess mortality among vulnerable populations such as the institutionalized elderly [2,3]. Mothers of young children are among the most-affected in the Fukushima nuclear incident, as inconsistent information about radiation levels in breast milk posted by two different professional organizations (the Japanese Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Japan Radiological Society) had further created high levels of confusion in terms of maintaining safety for their children [4].Love over gold and mind over matter? Identifying capabilities that preserve medical assistants' sustainable employability
AbstractFleuren, B. P., Lai, A., Larkin, J., Grunewald-Schmitz, L., & Yuan, C. T. (n.d.).Publication year
2024Journal title
Human Resources for HealthAbstract~Love over gold and mind over matter? Identifying capabilities that preserve medical assistants’ sustainable employability
AbstractFleuren, B. P., Lai, A., Gruenewald-Schmitz, L., Larkin, J., & Yuan, C. T. (n.d.).Publication year
2024Journal title
Human Resources for HealthVolume
22Issue
1AbstractBackground: Medical assistants (MAs) are crucial for affordable, high-quality primary care, but what motivates this low-wage occupational group to stay in their job remains underexplored. This paper identifies the work aspects that MAs value (“capabilities”), and how they affect sustainable employability, which refers to employees’ long-term ability to function and remain in their job. Methods: We used structural equation modelling to assess how capabilities relate to four outcomes among MAs: burnout, job satisfaction, intention to quit, and experiencing work as meaningful. Results: We find that earning a good income, developing knowledge and skills, and having meaningful relationships at work relate to the outcomes. Meaningful relationships represent a stronger predictor than salary for one’s intention to quit. Conclusions: Competitive salaries are necessary but not sufficient to motivate low-wage health care workers like MAs to stay in their job. Health care leaders and managers should also structure work so that MAs can foster meaningful relationships with others as well as develop competencies.