 Faculty
Yuting Zhang, PhD
Position:
Assistant Professor of Health Economics
Research Interests:
Pharmaceutical policy and economics, health insurance design, and economics
of mental health.
Biosketch:
Dr. Zhang has developed a body of research on the impact of various
pharmaceutical policies on medication utilization patterns, costs and health
outcomes. She is an expert in using large private and public insurance
claims data to evaluate the effects of pharmaceutical policies and
interventions on health outcomes.
Dr. Zhang just received a challenge grant from
NIMH to evaluate the most cost-effective methods to cover psychotropic
medications for Medicare beneficiaries. In addition, she currently serves as
Principal Investigators for four projects evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of Medicare prescription
drug program, especially its effects for vulnerable American population such
as under-served minorities, patients with severe mental health and multiple
medical conditions. She is also evaluating creative solutions to encourage
the use of more cost-effective medication treatments, including
deep-discounted generic drugs with same clinical effectiveness yet less than
one-third of costs for an equivalent branded drug. In addition, Dr. Zhang
also serves as Co-Principal Investigator to examine individuals’ choices to
High Deductible Health Plans and the economic implications of such
consumer-driven health insurance plans.
Dr. Zhang has been invited to present her work on Part D to senior advisors
at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as well as many
international and national meetings such as the International Health
Economics Association (iHEA), the Society of General Internal Medicine,
AcademyHealth, International Society of Pharmacoeonomics and Outcomes
Research (ISPOR), and American Society of Health Economists (ASHE).
Dr. Zhang's work has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street
Journal, Business Week, Forbes, US News & World Report, Pittsburgh Post
Gazette, Kaiser Network, National Public Radio, and many online TV and other
media. She received the Excellence in Mental Health Policy and Economics
Research Award, recognized by the International Center for Mental Health
Policy and Economics in March 2009. She was the 2008 recipient of the best
New Investigator Podium Presentation Award at the ISPOR 13th Annual
International Meeting and she was a finalist for the Hamolsky award for
junior faculty at the Society of General Internal Medicine in April 2008.
Dr. Zhang received her BA summa cum laude from Renmin University of China,
and a MS in Health Policy & Management and a PhD in Health Economics from
Harvard University.
 |
