Erin Sullivan

Professor Sullivan’s expertise and passion are focused on how to build leaders, teams, and culture in healthcare, with a particular emphasis on strengthening frontline leaders in primary care.

Her research is published in top journals such as the Journal of Healthcare Management and the Journal of Health Organization and Management. She teaches Leadership, Ethics, and Organizational Change in Healthcare and the MHA Capstone, where she shares her knowledge of the healthcare field with her students. She has substantial teaching experience in the areas of leadership and organizational change and in case-based teaching and learning.

Professor Sullivan’s current research projects address physician leadership, the impact of COVID-19 on the primary care workforce, and patient safety and physician burnout. In addition to her teaching and research, Professor Sullivan serves on the editorial board of the Case Research Journal.

Professor Sullivan joined Suffolk University after working as the research and curriculum director at the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care. During her tenure at Harvard Medical School, she was also a lecturer within the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine.

Degrees/Professional Certifications

• B.A., Wellesley College
• Ph.D., Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

Publications Recent Intellectual Contributions Refereed Journal Articles

• Fleuren B., Stephenson A.L., Sullivan E.E., Raj M., Tietschert, M., Sriharan A., Lai A.Y., DePuccio M.J., Thomas, S.C., & McAlearney A.S. (2021) Even Superheroes Need Rest: Facilitating recovery of healthcare professionals during COVID-19. Advances in Healthcare Management (in print).

• Arabadjis, S. D., & Sullivan, E. (2021). Data and HIT systems in Primary Care Settings: An analysis of perceptions and use. Journal of Health Organization and Management 35(4).

• Dwiel, K., Hesketh, M., Alpert, J., Cellini, J., Goodell, K., Phillips, R., & Sullivan, E. (2019). The Impact of Oral Health Training for Primary Care Clinicians: A systematic review. Family Medicine, 51(3), 251–261.

• Savageau, J. A., Sullivan, K. M., Sawosik, G., Sullivan, E., & Silk, H. (2019). Status of Oral Health Training in U.S. Primary Care Programs: A qualitative study to define characteristics and outcomes. Journal of Dental Education, 83(8), 865–877.

• Sullivan, E. E., Arabadjis, S. D., Alpert, J. L., & Ellner, A. L. (2018). Culture: The unexpected key to exemplary primary care. Journal of Organizational Psychology, 18(5).

• Jack, H. E., Arabadjis, S. D., Sun, L., Sullivan, E. E., & Phillips, R. S. (2017). Impact of Community Health Workers on Use of Healthcare Services in the United States: A systematic review. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 32(3), 325–344.

• Sullivan, E. E., Ibrahim, Z., Ellner, A. L., & Giesen, L. J. (2016). Management Lessons for High-Functioning Primary Care Teams. Journal of Healthcare Management, 61(6), 449–465.

Teaching Cases

• Sullivan, E. E. & Martelli, P. F. (Forthcoming). Patient Exodus at Sycamore Family Health. Health Services Management: A Case Study Approach, 12th Edition. A. S. McAlearney & A. R. Kovner (Eds.). Chicago: Health Administration Press.

• Sullivan, E.E. & Thomas, S.C. (Forthcoming) Re-imagining Primary Care. Health Services Management: A Case Study Approach, 12th Edition. A. S. McAlearney & A. R. Kovner (Eds.). Chicago: Health Administration Press.

• Sullivan, E.E., Hughes, L.S., & Anderson, B. (2021). Rural Health Care Leadership Conundrum: The burnout of a good doctor. Harvard Medical School: Primary Care Systems Case Collection.

• Hughes, L.S., Sullivan, E.E. & Anderson, B. (2021). Navigating Vaccination Challenges in a Rural Community. Harvard Medical School: Primary Care Systems Case Collection.

Others

• Raj M, DePuccio MJ, Stephenson AL, Sullivan EE, Lai AY, Fleuren BPI, Sriharan A, McAlearney AS, & Thomas SC. (2021). Addressing evolving patient concerns around telehealth in the COVID-19 era. The American Journal of Managed Care, 27(1).

• Sullivan, E. E., & Phillips, R. S. (2020). Sustaining Primary Care Teams in the midst of a Pandemic. Israel Journal of Health Policy Research, 9(1), 1-3.

• Lai A.Y., Thomas S.C., Sullivan E.E., Fleuren B., Raj M., DePuccio M.J., Stephenson A.L., McAlearney A.S. (2020). COVID-19 and Primary Care Physicians: Adapting to rapid change in clinical roles and settings. Journal of Hospital Management and Health Policy, 4(31).