Lisa J. Herrinton, PhD

lisa.herrinton@kp.org

Lisa Herrinton, PhD, is a senior research scientist and epidemiologist at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research. She was Chair of the Healthcare Outcomes and Effectiveness study section at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and has served on study section for the Centers for Disease Control, National Eye Institute, National Cancer Institute, and other federal agencies. Dr. Herrinton has 20 years of experience using a diverse range of research methods to investigate important questions in public health and health services. Most recently, she is conducing a program in implementation research, working with Kaiser Permanente physicians and health plan leaders to identify high priority topics suitable for integrating care delivery, quality improvement, and research. In addition, Dr. Herrinton is focused on using innovative approaches to realizing value from Kaiser Permanente’s electronic medical record. These efforts cover diverse clinical areas including cataract surgery, oncology, and registry building across medical and surgical specialties. Earlier, she elucidated risk factors in the development of breast, ovarian, lung, and colorectal cancer, as well as lymphoma. In autoimmune disease, she built registries in inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatology, and psoriasis. Dr. Herrinton received her doctoral training at the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, and her master’s training at Harvard University. She has published more than 160 peer-reviewed publications and several book chapters. In addition, she has led numerous collaborative activities and mentored many scientists and physician-investigators. Before her training in epidemiology, she was an environmental health manager. She also served as a high school science and math teacher through the Peace Corps in Swaziland, Africa. Besides her work, Dr. Herrinton enjoys her family and friends, hiking, biking, and swimming.

Current Positions

Research Scientist III, Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California
Associate Editor, American Journal of Epidemiology

Section Affiliations

Health Care Delivery and Policy

Primary Research Interests

Inflammatory bowel disease
Cancer
Etiology factors
Quality of care outcomes
Epidemiology methods
Outcomes research

Studies

A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial of a Bundled, Pharmacist-Led Hyperpolypharmacy Deprescribing Intervention

This randomized controlled trial study is testing an intervention to reduce unsafe medication use in patients aged 75 years and older. The intervention uses collaborative drug therapy management between physicians and pharmacists, standard-of-care treatment protocols, shared decision-making, and the CEASE deprescribing protocol. Following physician authorization, it is administered by ambulatory care pharmacists working over multiple deprescribing cycles to reduce doses, switch to safer drugs, and discontinue medications while monitoring for adverse drug withdrawal effects. Outcomes include the number of medications used and the diagnosis of conditions related to medication overuse. The safety of the intervention is also being evaluated.