Leadership & Faculty

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Michael Fine, MD, MSc

Principal Investigator

Staff Physician at VAPHS

Professor of Medicine

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Dr. Fine is an internationally recognized health services researcher with a longstanding focus on the development and implementation of evidence-based approaches for the management of pneumonia.

Publications:Link to PubMed*

David Asch, MD, MBA
Co-Principal Investigator and Co-Chief, Communication and Dissemination Core
Staff Physician at PVAMC
Robert D. Eilers Professor of Health Care Management and Economics and Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
The focus of Dr. Asch's research has been on clinician and patient decision making, health policy, medical ethics, technology assessment, health care management, and physician executives.
Publications: Link to PubMed*

Galen Switzer, PhD

Associate Director and Co-Chief, Measurement Core

Health Scientist at VAPHS

Associate Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Dr. Switzer’s research focuses on psychosocial issues in medical settings. In addition to assisting Drs. Fine and Asch in strategic planning and daily operations of the Center, Dr. Switzer is also primarily responsible for providing career mentoring for CHERP’s cadre of PhD investigators and fellows in order to promote successful transitions to independence.

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Marti Trudeau, RN, MPA

Administrative Director and Co-Chief Qualitative Core

Ms. Trudeau has extensive experience coordinating quantitative and qualitative studies related to health care quality. She advises and supports CHERP leadership in planning, developing, and implementing operations at PVAMC and provides administrative oversight. As Co-Chief of the Qualitative Core, she provides expertise to CHERP investigators in need of qualitative methodological and technical support.

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Alphabetical List of Faculty

Sherrie L. Aspinall, PharmD, MSc

Core Investigator

Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy

Research Areas: Appropriate and cost-effective use of medications, especially antibiotics. Pharmacoeconomics. Racial variations in medication use.

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Charles Atwood, MD

Core Investigator

Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Director, Sleep Disorders Program, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System

Associate Director, UPMC Sleep Medicine Center

Co-director of Sleep Medicine Fellowship, UPMC.

Research Areas: Sleep disorders, COPD, Dysphagia

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Sonya Borrero, MD, MSc

Core Investigator

Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Research Areas: Women's health, Health services research, Race and gender disparities in health care, Reproductive/contraceptive health services

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Lauren Broyles, PhD, RN
HSR&D Fellow
Research Areas:  Substance abuse; Vulnerable populations; Bioethics
Publications: Link to PubMed*

Kelly B. Burkitt , PhD
Director of Research Development
Research Areas: Trauma, health psychology, program evaluation

Publications: Link to PubMed *

David J. Casarett, MD, MA

Core Investigator

Staff Physician, Philadelphia VAMC

Associate Professor, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Research Areas: Health equity, research ethics, medical decision making, informed consent, end-of-life care

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Virginia W. Chang, MD, PhD

Core Investigator

Assistant Professor of Medicine and Sociology, University of Pennsylvania

Research Areas: Health equity, obesity

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Megan Crowley Matoka , PhD
Core Investigator
Assistant Professor of Medicine and Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh
Research Areas: Organ transplantation

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Shasha Gao, PhD

Core Investigator

Research Areas: Biostatistics

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Jennifer Garvin, PhD, MBA, RHIA, CPHQ, CCS, CTR, FAHIMA 
Core Investigator
Research Areas: Billing, coding, quality improvement, health informatics

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Walid Gellad, MD, MPH
Core Investigator

Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Research Areas:  Health equity; health economics
Publications: Link to PubMed *

C. Bernie Good, MD, MPH
Core Investigator

Associate Porfessor of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Research Areas: Health equity

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Adam J. Gordon , MD, MPH
Core Investigator
Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Research Areas: Health Equity,  clinical outcomes and processes of care of vulnerable patients undergoing alcohol treatment

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Peter Groeneveld , MD, MSc
Core Investigator
Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Research Areas: Cost effectiveness, emerging medical technologies, health equity

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Daniel Hall, MD, MDiv, MHSc

Core Investigator

Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Research Areas:  Ethics of surgical infromed consent, faith and health

Publications:  Link to PubMed *

Joseph Hanlon , PharmD, MS
Core Investigator

Professor of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Research Areas: Pharmacoepidemiology and health services research related to drug therapy for elders

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Barbara Hanusa, PhD

Core Investigator

Research Areas:  Biostatistics and equity

Publications:  Link to PubMed *

Leslie R.M. Hausmann, PhD

Core Investigator

Research Areas:  Health care culture, Healthy equity

Publications: Link to PubMed

William C. Holmes, MD, MSCE

Core Investigator

Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Research Areas: Quality of Life, Health status assessment, outcomes research, HIV/AIDS, sexual abuse (Males)

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Sam T. Kuna, MD

Core Investigator

Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Chief, Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Section PVAMC

Research Areas: Sleep apnea management, upper airway mechanics, and equity

Publications: Link to Pubmed *

Said A. Ibrahim, MD, MPH

Core Investigator

Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Research Areas: Understanding how ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and culture impact health care

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Sanae Inagami, MD, MPH
Core Investigator

Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Research Areas: The built environment and health; Health equity
Publications: Link to PubMed *

Bruce Kinosian, MD

Core Investigator

Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Research Areas: Nutrition and aging, Clinical economics, Home care

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Samuel Kuna, MD, MCSE

Core Investigator

Chief, Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Section, VAMC

Associate Professor of Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Research Areas: Sleep Apnea, Health Equity

Publications: Link to PubMed *

C. Kent Kwoh, MD
Chair, Intramural Research Committee
Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Research Areas: Ethnic disparities in rheumatic diseases and rehabilitation/orthopaedic outcomes

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Bruce S. Ling , MD, MPH
Core Investigator
Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Research Areas: Health equity

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Judith A. Long , MD
Core Investigator
Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Research Areas: Socioeconomic status, health care disparities of vulnerable populations, health services research

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Joshua P. Metlay , MD, PhD
Affiliate Investigator
Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Co-Director of Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program
Research Areas: Antimicrobial drug resistant outpatient infections

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Maria Mor , PhD
Core Investigator, Biostatistician; Data Management, Programming, and Statistical Core

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Larissa Myaskovsky , PhD
Core Investigator
Research Areas: Disparities in transplantation and organ donation, quality of life, and health literacy

Publications: Link to PubMed *

David W. Oslin , MD
Core Investigator
Assistant Professor, Geriatric and Addiction Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Research Areas: Treatment and consequences of alcohol dependence in older adults

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Keri Rodriguez , PhD
Core Investigator
Assistant Professor of Medicine and Sociology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Research Areas: Patient-Provider Communication; End-of-Life Care

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Sylvia E. Rosas, MD, MSCE

Core Investigator

Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Research Areas: Cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Armando J. Rotondi, PhD

Core Investigator

Associate Professor of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Health Policy Management

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Research Areas: The design, development, and testing of systems to improve quality, access, and cost performance, of health, mental health, and social services.

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Mary Ann Sevick , ScD
Core Investigator
Associate Professor of Medicine and Public Health, University of Pittsburgh
Research Areas: Adherence, chronic disease

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Judy A. Shea , PhD
Co-chief, Measurement Core
Professor of Medicine, Clinician Educator, Director of Evaluation and Assessment, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Research Areas: Measurement, Instrument Design, Evaluation, Psychometrics

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Roslyn A. Stone , PhD
Co-Chief, Biostatistics and Informatics Core
Associate Professor of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh
Research Areas: generalized linear models, survival, design and analysis of cluster-randomized studies

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Melissa Taylor, PhD, BSN

Core Investigator

Research Areas:  Nursing researh, cardiovascular medicine

Publications: Link to PubMed*

Kevin G. Volpp , MD, PhD
Core Investigator
Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Assistant Professor Health Care Systems, The Wharton School
Research Areas: Quality impacts of natural experiments in health policy reform, Risk behavior and non-use of beneficial preventive services

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Mary B. Walsh , RN
Administrative Officer, Pittsburgh

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Christine Weeks 
Communications Coordinator

Co-Chief, Communication and Dissemination Core

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Mark G. Weiner , MD
Co-Chief, Biostatistics and Informatics Core
Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Research Areas: Medical Informatics, Information needs in clinical research

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Steven Weisbord , MD, MSc
Core Investigator
Medical Trainee, Clinical Research, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Research Areas: Hepatitis, kidney failure, patient satisfaction

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Rachel Werner , MD, PhD
Core Investigator
Research Areas: Health Disparities, Discrimination, Quality of Care, Performance Improvement

Publications: Link to PubMed *

Susan Zickmund , PhD
Core Investigator

Co-Chief Qualitative Core
Research Areas: Health Equity

Publications: Link to PubMed *