The Division of Research of Kaiser Permanente Northern California (DOR) seeks an investigator with expertise in healthcare value, economics, and comparative and cost-effectiveness research for developing a collaborative program around these topic areas. As part of a comprehensive enterprise-level Learning Health Initiative, this position offers substantial and almost unique opportunities for developing and testing new methods relevant to high-value, pragmatic, high-impact investigations for rapid-cycle health care transformation, within a collegial and dynamic environment.
The successful candidate is expected to develop an independently funded scholarly research program and collaborate with other Division of Research investigators, Kaiser Permanente clinicians, and medical group leadership in health care value-related evaluations to effect change in clinical practice and inform local and national policies. The DOR is embedded in a large, established, health care delivery system which facilitates rapid conversion of knowledge to the medical practice. Thus, this position provides an exciting opportunity to both advance the science and directly impact care for >1% of the U.S. population.
The successful candidate will have experience with developing economic models, utilizing comparative-effectiveness and cost-utility methodology, evaluating financial aspects of healthcare practices, and clearly communicating the impact of findings to a diverse set of stakeholders. Additionally, candidates should have a comprehensive understanding of healthcare delivery models, training in clinical research methods, experience successfully collaborating with research teams, and communicating findings through published manuscripts.
Investigators in the Division of Research draw on an extremely rich, comprehensive, 20+ year longitudinal clinical data source derived from a comprehensive state-of-the-art electronic medical record, disease registries (e.g., cancer, diabetes), associated clinical and administrative databases, an active clinical trials unit, and, for interventions, direct access to a diverse population of more than 4.5 million members within Kaiser Permanente Northern California.
Depending on qualifications, the investigator may be appointed at the assistant professor, associate professor, or professor-equivalent level. This position will be part of the DOR Healthcare Delivery and Policy Section and work in close partnership with the TPMG Delivery Science and Applied Research (DARE) Program (www.kp.org/dare), housed at DOR, and with the medical group’s Chief Research Officer as part of an enterprise-level Learning Health Initiative. Founded in 2018, DARE provides infrastructure, connections, and analytic support to clinician-researchers for answering questions to inform and change care, the program fosters collaborations between clinician-investigators and Division of Research scientists and provides support from initial idea development to clinical implementation. Within the Learning Health Initiative, this position offers almost unique and substantial opportunities for developing new methods relevant to rapid-cycle, pragmatic, high-impact investigation to implementation cycles for health care transformation.
The Division of Research is one of the nation’s premier research centers, with >$130 million annual budget, >70 research scientists and >700 total staff who lead research programs in cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, health care delivery and policy, behavioral health and aging, infectious diseases, and women’s and children’s health. DOR investigators are supported primarily by grant and contract funding from federal and other external peer-reviewed sources, especially the National Institutes of Health.
Required qualifications include a PhD with post-doctoral training or MD degree with formal training in a relevant discipline such as cost/utility analyses, health economics, health services/operations research, evaluation, biostatistics, and clinical epidemiology. Opportunities for clinical practice (10-50% FTE) are available, and, for MD applicants, it is desirable that the successful candidate remain connected with clinical care. We strongly encourages applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Applicants can forward a CV and a cover letter (maximum 2 page) outlining interest and relevant experiences to Suzanne.Furuya@kp.org.
