Recognition April 2017


Clinical data expert Dr. David Carrell promoted to investigator

David Carrell, PhD, was recently promoted from KPWHRI clinical data scientist to assistant investigator. Adding Dr. Carrell to the faculty strengthens KPWHRI’s capabilities in data science and informatics for health research.

Since joining the Institute in 2004 to provide programming and analytic support, Dr. Carrell has built an independently funded research program, specializing in harmonization and application of data from electronic health records. He is an internationally known expert in informatics methods including natural language processing and has led and contributed to studies on cancer, substance abuse and addiction, and mental health disorders.

Dr. Carrell has a PhD in political science from the University of Washington and postdoctoral training in health policy and health and aging from the University of California San Francisco. His service includes reviewing for the National Institutes of Health, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, and the Veteran’s Administration.

Paper by Dr. Kai Yeung takes top prize in 2016 PAN Foundation Challenge

A paper first-authored by KPWHRI Assistant Investigator Kai Yeung, PharmD, PhD, recently won first prize in the 2016 Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation Challenge. The PAN Foundation is a non-profit that helps underinsured people get the medications and treatment they need. Co-sponsored by the American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC), the Foundation’s annual challenge recognizes papers that identify promising ways to make critical medications easier for Medicare and Affordable Care Act beneficiaries to access.

Dr. Yeung’s paper, published March 1 in a special issue of AJMC, described how a value-based formulary (VBF) can help ensure access to high-value medications while maintaining affordability. A VBF estimates the value of individual medications and aligns medication co-payments with value.

As the challenge’s first-prize winner, Dr. Yeung also served on the PAN Foundation’s second cost-sharing roundtable, held February 24 in Washington D.C.  The event brought together health policy researchers and patient advocates to discuss strategies that support effective doctor-patient conversations about health care costs.

Dr. Yeung’s co-authors include scientists from the Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research and Policy Program, the University of Washington School of Public Health, and Premera Blue Cross.