Gerontology & Geriatric Research

Xuejie J. Zhang

Xuejie J. Zhang
Director, Department of Medicine
The University of Chicago, Medicare Innovation Analysis , USA

Biography

More recently, I took initiative and leadership in developing a number of studies in cost-related medication non-adherence (CRN), a young research area which has important policy and practice implications. Thus far, I have collaborated with Dr. David Meltzer and have: (1) Published five original research articles in professional journals; (2) Obtained one internally funded grants as PI for two years, and (3) Developed one NIH R21 grant proposal which has been scored and ranked at the top 17th percentile. Nationally and internationally, I have provided services to a number of professional societies, including serving on the advisory board of interest group of AcademyHealth, the Scientific Committee of American Society of Health Economists (ASHEcon), the Scientific Committee of International Health Economics Association (IHEA), the Research Review Committee and Judge for International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcome Research (ISPOR), and as referees of medical research extramural granting bodies of two governments of “Asian Tigers.” I have also been invited to present my research findings in the international professional conferences at Copenhagen, Dublin, Paris, and Venice, among others. I am on editorial boards of four professional journals. I have also gained some experience in health policy consulting as I worked in a premier health services/policy consulting firm in the Washington DC area as a part of its leadership team. This has taught me that strong policy recommendations rely on sound analytic work. I co-led one study of the effect of Medicare Part B payment reform on cancer treatment with Dr. Paul Wallace, who was then Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of AcademyHealth and now the Chairman, sponsored by a leading pharmaceutical company.

Research Interest

My research interest is primarily focused on the high-need, high-cost Medicare beneficiaries, aiming to reduce access barriers to healthcare and improve health outcomes. I have developed innovative research and published a number of well-cited, lead-author journal articles in the areas of risk adjustment in Medicare claims data, diabetes care, and Medicare Part D. Overall, my lead-author, peered-reviewed research papers have appeared in such journals as Medical Care, Journal of American Geriatrics Society, Journal of General Internal Medicine, and American Journal of Public Health. Thus far, my lead-author article on risk adjustment using Medicare claims data has been cited over 100 times, and total number of citations of publications is over 1,000 times in the literature.