ANN ARBOR—Sylvester E. Berki, professor of health management and policy at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, died here July 10. He was 65.

A health economist, Berki was particularly well-known for his work on health insurance among the unemployed, health maintenance organizations and health systems networks. His book, “Hospital Economics,” published in 1972, is widely regarded as one of the foundations of the study of health economics.

“Berki was one of a handful of people who created the field of health economics 25 years ago,” said John R.C. Wheeler, chair of the U-M Department of Health Management and Policy. “This field now includes thousands of economists worldwide who are indebted to Sy for showing the way. Sy wrote one of the first books on health economics. It is still one of the best. He was the lead researcher on a team at Michigan that did some of the first research on HMOs. Of equal importance, he served as adviser and mentor to many young scholars and health care managers during his career.”

Born Dec. 31, 1930, in Budapest, Hungary, Berki immigrated to the United States in 1946. He served in the U.S. Army where he saw combat in the Korean War. Berki received his bachelor of science degree from Columbia University in 1957 and his master’s degree from Yale University in 1958. From 1963 to 1967, he served as assistant professor at Cornell University.

He joined the U-M faculty in 1967, was promoted to associate professor in 1971 and to professor in 1977. Berki served as chair of the Department of Medical Care Organization in 1980-86. Under his leadership, the department secured funding from the Kellogg Foundation to establish the Program in Health Services Management and Policy. He also consulted regularly with government and private agencies, including the Veterans’ Administration Health Services Research and Development Program, the Institute of Medicine, the National Cancer Institute and the National Pharmacy Insurance Council.

In 1988-89, Berki served on the Michigan Governor’s Task Force on Access to Health Care. Berki was a visiting professor at the University of Washington and a guest lecturer at several institutions in China. At the invitation of the Chinese Minister of Public Health, he participated in health administration and education workshops in Shanghai and Beijing. Berki retired from the University in 1995.

Berki is survived by his wife, Minnie; his children, Lisa, Matthew, and Andrew; and grandson, Eric. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Hillel Foundation, 1429 Hill, Ann Arbor, MI 48104.