Helen Parsons, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor, Division of Health Policy and Management

Contact Info
Associate Professor, Division of Health Policy and Management
PhD, Health Services Research, Policy, and Administration, University of Minnesota, 2011
MPH, Public Health Administration and Policy, University of Minnesota, 2008
AB, Government, Dartmouth College
Summary
My research focuses on the benefits, risks, and results of healthcare interventions so that patients, clinicians and policy makers can make more informed decisions. I have expertise in mixed-methods research, employing a combination of clinical registries, administrative data (e.g., Medicare), surveys and focus groups to understand how adoption of new programs and policies influence reimbursement and health outcomes. Much of my work focuses on cancer survivorship, where I have expertise in implementation and evaluation of large survivorship studies, including the development and use of survey and administrative data to examine health and psychosocial outcomes.My overall goal is to identify effective strategies to improve the quality and value of healthcare.
Expertise
Cancer survivorship; administrative/claims data; health policy; adolescents and young cancer survivors; Medicare/Medicaid; chronic disease; quality of care
Awards & Recognition
The Presidential Distinguished Junior Research Scholar Award, University of Texas Health Science Center (2016) The Michael Kamin Hart Award of Excellence in Caring for Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer, The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario (2013) AcademyHealth Outstanding Dissertation Award (2012)
Research
Research Funding Grants
2017-2022, NIH/NCI, "SEER-Medicare Technical Support Services", Investigator
2015-2020, CMS, "Research Data Assistance Center (ResDAC)", Investigator, Director of Data Use
2017-2019, MN Department of Health, "Lung Cancer Screening & Hepatitis C Treatement", Investigator
2018-2020, NORC, "Understanding Important Issues in Ovarian Cancer Survivorship", Consultant
Teaching
Courses
PubH 6780: Analyzing Data for Healthcare Operations and Research
PubH 6571: Quality, Patient Safety, and Performance Improvement