Cynthia Baur, Ph.D. Closed Now

Cynthia A. Baur, Ph.D., is a nationally recognized leader in health communication, digital health, and health literacy. She currently serves as the Endowed Chair and Director of the Horowitz Center for Health Literacy at the University of Maryland, School of Public Health. Her work bridges the gap between health data systems, digital technologies, and consumer engagement, ensuring that patients and the public can understand and effectively use health information.

Before joining academia, Dr. Baur held influential roles at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). At HHS, she spearheaded initiatives that promoted plain language in health IT systems and advanced digital health communication strategies to increase accessibility for diverse populations.

Her expertise lies in making complex health data systems user-friendly, especially for communities with limited health literacy. She has also led pioneering work in online health communication research, including how patients search for, interpret, and act on medical information.

At the University of Maryland, Dr. Baur continues to research and teach on public health informatics, patient engagement, and digital health communication. She also advises government agencies and healthcare organizations on designing equitable digital health systems.

Her contributions have shaped the national agenda on health literacy and consumer-centered health IT policies, making her a leading advocate for patient-friendly electronic health records (EHRs) and accessible public health communication platforms.